Time to take measure of the latest health statistics

Every year I like to round-up the latest health statistics as measured by both national and worldwide health organizations.

Often we only see the most commonly reported statistics such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. Some of the more telling and interesting statistics cover areas we are not as familiar with such as mental health and sleep problems for example. Let's take a look at a full cross-section of health statistics coming into 2019.

As more people become health conscious and with advances in medicine, how does all this measure up with what the statistics are saying? Keep in mind that the statistics we see today are often from data collected in on-going or extended studies going back 12 to 24 month or longer before it is ready for consumption.

Here are a number of the most recent statistical data tied to various health categories:

• Nearly 80 percent of new mothers experience some form of depression after giving birth to a child.

• It is estimated that 300 million people worldwide suffer from daily depression.

• Only 17 percent of adults in the U.S. are functioning with optimal mental health.

• Over 30 percent of people in the U.S. have money-related stress that is affecting their health adversely.

• 51 percent of all people in the U.S. are at risk of developing severe health problems due to lack of proper sleep.

• Roughly 70 million people in the U.S. struggle with various sleep disorders.

• The U.S. population with a body mass index of 30 plus is sitting at over 30 percent. Obesity is still one of the fastest growing health problems in the world.

• Childhood obesity worldwide is outpacing malnutrition as a leading cause of health risks in children.

• 75 percent of Americans do not drink enough water daily. This places a high number of people at risk of chronic dehydration.

• 55 percent of people in the U.S. take prescription drugs daily.

• Roughly 48,000 people in the U.S. die every year due to opioid abuse.

• 70 percent of processed foods in U.S. supermarkets now contain GMO ingredients.

• 52 percent of people in the U.S. overconsume high-fructose corn syrup by drinking one to six sweetened beverages daily.

• 74 percent of people in the U.S. live with diarrhea, gas, bloating and abdominal pain every day caused by improper nutrition.

• 36.9 million people worldwide are living with HIV.

• It is estimated that over 50 percent of people in the U.S. have some form of herpes. It is also expected that 90 percent of people in the U.S. will be exposed to herpes at some point in their lifetime.

• 61 percent of all U.S. health costs come from 31 percent of the U.S. population who struggle with obesity-related chronic disease.

• Candida was responsible for 60 percent of the fungal infections while in the hospital, killing one in three people from related infection.

• 15.5 percent of people in the U.S. do not have any form of health insurance.

• 88 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in homes.

• 87 percent of internet users say they looked online for health information within the past year. This statistic is up significantly in one year.

• Over 30 percent of people in the U.S. are living with hypertension.

• One billion people worldwide will be helped by universal healthcare coverage.

• There will be 7.7 billion people on the planet by the time you read this column.

This list of health-related statistics continues to grow. The critical data that keeps coming in is giving healthcare providers the ability to adopt new methods to fight disease and chronic health problems more effectively. In coming years, the healthcare challenges will grow with issues from the continued rise in obesity to antimicrobial resistant bacteria and the potential of an influenza pandemic.

Watching health statistics can be helpful and undoubtedly informative which could help keep you from becoming a statistic.

Judd Jones is a director for The Hagadone Corporation and certified health coach. For information, go online to jhanawellness.com.