ChroniC disease . . . the publiC health Challenge of the 21st Century 

As a nation, more than 75% of our health care spending is on people with chronic conditions.

-7 out of 10 deaths among Americans each year 

are from chronic diseases.

-In 2005, 133 million Americans—almost 1 

out of every 2 adults—had at least one chronic 

illness.

-Mental illnesses and chronic diseases are 

closely related. Chronic diseases can exacerbate 

symptoms of depression, and depressive 

disorders can themselves lead to chronic diseases.

What are these chronic conditions? Tackling chronic disease requires a closer look at the major conditions that affect our nation— namely, heart disease and stroke, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, obesity, respiratory diseases, and oral conditions. At what cost? 

Chronic diseases and their major risk factors place huge economic demands on our nation. For example, from 1987 through 2001, increases in obesity prevalence alone accounted for 12% of the growth in health spending. Without concerted interventions, these and other costs can be expected to increase in the years ahead. 

The Chronic Disease Price Tag— Estimated Annual Direct Medical Expenditures

Cardiovascular disease and stroke

$313.8 billion in 2009

Cancer $89.0 billion in 2007

Smoking $96 billion in 2004

Diabetes $116 billion in 2007

Arthritis $80.8 billion in 2003 Obesity  $61 billion in 2000

Heart disease and stroke The good news is that since 1999, death rates for coronary heart disease and stroke have declined 20.8% and 24.4%, respectively. In addition, the percentage of adults with high cholesterol, a major risk factor for heart disease, has been cut by almost half since the early 1960s