Health Issues of Addult Americans


Through its Healthy People program, the U.S. government has identified major health issues facing Americans. Among them...

  1. Tobacco Use. Twenty-two percent of American adults smoke cigarettes. Smoking is the WORST think anyone can do for their health and well-being. Smoking is a major cause of heart disease and heart attack (the #1 cause of death in the U.S.) and nearly all cancers. Smokers die about 10 years earlier than their non-smoking peers.

  2. Overweight and Obesity. About 60% of U.S. adults and 30% of U.S. children are overweight. Overweight is way more serious than physical appearance; it predisposes people to a variety of illnesses and premature death.

  3. Physical Activity. Only 10% of Americans acquired recommended amounts of daily physical activity, which consists of about 30 minutes a day of walking and not a hour or more sweating and breathing hard at the gym. Inadequate physical activity is associated with a variety of illnesses including heart disease, high blood pressure, cancers of all kinds, and overweight, and depression.

  4. Substance Abuse. By far, the most abused substances are tobacco and alcohol. These substances are responsible for 10 times the illness, death, and social problems than all illegal drugs combined.

  5. Environmental Quality. Air, water, land, and food pollution are rampant, increasing the risks for cancer and respiratory disease. Global warming is the most significant challenge of our day.

  6. Mental Health. Stress, anxiety, depression, and sleep problems are widely prevalent in the United States.

  7. Access to Quality Health Care. Seven percent of Americans are without access to regular health care because of its high cost and not due to a lack of health practitioners, medicines, medical supplies, hospitals, and clinics. High coasts are increasingly limiting access to quality health care for a large percentage of Americans

Health Issues of College Students

College students of all ages face the same health issues as other Americans. They also face health issues specific to college such as time pressures and academic and financial stress. Health issues such as the risk of acquiring an STD, may be more pertinent to students within a certain age group. Some typical health issues for college students include...

  1. Mental health. Students are exposed to a variety of stressors and pressures that can impair their mental health. Academic overload, tests, and competition can create feelings of insecurity, anxiety, inferiority, and depression. Traditional students may be lonely and have difficulty adjusting to early adulthood. Nontraditional students may feel isolated and without social support. Stress can impair sleep and lead to depression.

  2. Food and weight. Time pressures and the easy availability of junk food cause many to consume lots of sugar (candy, sodas) and fat (fast food) and insufficient amounts of fruits and vegetables. Students may use food as way to cope with stress and uncomfortable emotions. Many students are overly concerned about their body size and shape to meet social expectations of attractiveness, causing some to develop eating disorders. Since more than half of North American adults are overweight, weight control is an issue for many students.

  3. Health Care. A large proportion of U.S. college students have limited access to health care because their colleges do not have comprehensive services and they are without health insurance.

  4. Substance Use and Abuse. Many students use tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs to cope with stress and unpleasant feelings, or to fit in socially. Alcohol abuse is related to sexual assault and date rape, unintended pregnancies (from not using contraceptives properly or at all), and acquiring an STD (from not practicing safer sex).

  5. Sexual and Relationship Health. Sexually active students of any age are at risk for acquiring an STD, becoming unintentionally pregnant, or involved in sexual assault, especially acquaintance or date rape. Sexual activity to relieve academic stress, increase self-esteem, gain peer acceptance, or relieve loneliness can be mentally and spiritually damaging. Married students may find that the time and energy demands of college work create stress in their marital relationships.

  6. Accidents and Injuries. Many students commute to school, often rushing to and from work and home, and hence are at risk for automobile accidents. Alcohol-using students are at risk for auto and other kinds of accidents. Athletically active students are at risk for sports injuries.