New Coalition Targets America’s Chronic Disease Epidemic
Krissy Vann | Host, All Things Fitness and Wellness
Leaders from health and wellness companies such as CrossFit, Sweetgreen, Thrive Market, and Athletic Greens have established an advocacy group called End Chronic Disease. This coalition aims to promote the use of healthy food, exercise, and other preventive measures to combat chronic conditions affecting many Americans.
Chronic diseases account for 9 out of 10 deaths in the United States and represent 95% of medical costs. Nearly 80% of young adults are overweight or obese, and 40% of 18-year-olds meet the criteria for a mental health disorder. Additionally, 77% of young adults do not qualify for military service based on their health scores, highlighting the broader implications of this health crisis.
End Chronic Disease is collecting stories from Americans who have reversed chronic diseases through lifestyle changes such as exercise, supplements, and healthy eating. These stories will be used to educate and advocate for a shift in healthcare funding toward preventative and non-pharmaceutical interventions.
Calley Means, co-founder of Truemed and the organization, emphasized the importance of these interventions. "When it comes to reversing chronic disease, we must follow the science. Exercise is medicine. Supplements are medicine. Cold plunging is medicine. Metabolic habits are medicine," Means stated. "These metabolic habits are often the most effective interventions to reverse conditions like depression and heart disease – but medical incentives only pay for antidepressants and statins. There is a path to thriving for America – and that path is incentivizing items that actually reverse disease."
End Chronic Disease, supported by a bi-partisan group of leaders, has outlined several initiatives:
- Educating lawmakers by sharing stories of patients who have reversed their chronic conditions through root-cause, non-pharmaceutical interventions. The organization is in discussions with several Congressional members.
- Drafting bills and executive orders to incentivize food, exercise, and supplements as medical interventions, focusing on areas like HSA expansion, SNAP reform, and food-as-medicine research.
- Advocating for change by uniting voices to support specific bills and regulatory actions.
Notable members of the coalition include Don Faul, CEO of CrossFit; Nicolas Jammet, Co-Founder of Sweetgreen; Nick Green, CEO and Co-Founder of Thrive Market; and Chris Ashenden, CEO and Co-Founder of AG1. The coalition invites the public to submit their success stories at EndChronicDisease.org, aiming to build a repository of evidence supporting the effectiveness of lifestyle changes in reversing chronic diseases.
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