Have you heard the latest? Apparently Americans are living longer than ever, but we aren’t living as long as citizens of 41 other countries.
A baby born in the United States in 2004 will live an average of 77.9 years. That ranks 42nd in the world, according to the Census Bureau and the National Center for Health Statistics.
20 years ago the U.S. ranked 11th. Countries now ahead of us include Japan, Maucau, most of Europe, San Marino, Singapore, the Cayman Islands, and Jordan to name a few.
Jordan? You betcha.
“Something’s wrong here when one of the richest countries in the world, the one that spends the most on health care, is not able to keep up with other countries,” said Dr. Christopher Murray, head of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.
You said it Chris.
Now (regardless of what you think of Michael Moore and his movie “Sicko”) it is true that one factor affecting this is the fact that 45 million Americans don’t have health insurance, and many of those other countries have universal coverage.
But, it isn’t as simple as that.
Two-thirds of adults in this country are overweight or obese, including Michael Moore, and that doesn’t have much, if anything, to do with their level of health insurance.
Now, this isn’t to slam Michael Moore or take up sides on his movie “Sicko”. Hell, I didn’t even see the movie, so I’m certainly not going to give an opinion on it. And, I honestly don’t care what you think about him or his movies, either.
But, the reality is that Michael Moore is a very public figure, and is also a walking billboard for heart disease, diabetes, and other lifestyle illnesses. But, as a public figure, he could use his fame and notoriety to make a great contribution to the area of disease prevention if he publicly committed to do something about his own physical condition, don’t you think?
Imagine the discussion he could generate if he decided to commit to a healthier lifestyle and documented his personal growth and physical improvement in a movie? Let’s face it, the windbags in Washington will be arguing about how to pay for health insurance long after you and I are in the ground, but it is basically impossible to argue against creating incentives and an environment that encourages disease prevention through healthier lifestyles.
So, I say we choose Mr. Moore to be the poster child for this movement. What do you say? If you agree, then please check out The Michael Moore Health Challenge.
Again, this isn’t to slam him or take sides on his movies or political views. So please don’t email me with “Democrat this” or “Republican that”. Politics bores the crap out of me, and as far as I can tell, obesity runs rampant on both sides of the aisle.
I just want to see us live as long as the average Jordanian.
~Dave
About the Author
Dave Soucy is a coach, trainer, motivator, husband, dad, and former fat guy. His goal is to teach as many people as possible how to achieve a life of health, fitness, and wellness through simply eating right and exercising. Click here to learn more about Dave.
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