Chronic Inflammation and Chronic Illness Statistics

Published by Lois on August 27th, 2008

When we see statistics such as those cited from Medco Health, it’s hardly a leap connecting the dots to chronic inflammation when illnesses cited in the study are depression, diabetes, asthma.
The statistics state that for the first time ever over half the population, 51% of American children and adults were taking one or more prescription drugs for a chronic condition up from 50% the previous four years, and 47% in 2001.

For the past four years, there’s been a near doubling of reported diseases and illnesses. Rather than feeling startled at the rise, perhaps we’ve just grown immune expecting illness now instead of being surprised when statistics are reported year after year.

Science had made the connection to Omega-6s in processed food products creating inflammation. These are not food but food products. When it takes 18 and more ingredients to create a packaged product with names we can’t pronounce, the industry has forgotten we are human beings.

Our bodies were never intended to consume food products laced with ingredients we can’t pronounce processed by methods we don’t want to be near. Could it be the magnitude to health of 50 years of consuming these non-foods has finally reached epidemic proportions?

Science has made it clear, though, Omega-6s in foods, sugar and starches from low-fat dieting have combined to create an epidemic of inflammation plaguing men, women and children. When numbers start climbing in children, it is time to take a step back and look deep for answers.

From obesity, ADD, juvenile diabetes in children to Alzheimers in a 21 year old, we are a nation succumbing to inflammation. The study said 1.2 million American children are now taking pills for Type 2 diabetes, sleeping troubles and gastrointestinal problems such as heartburn.

More statistics show medications for chronic problems was seen in all demographic groups:

Almost two-thirds of women 20 and older

One in four children and teenagers

52% of adult men

Three out of four people 65 and older

The largest jump in use of chronic medications was in the 20 to 44 year old age group adults in the prime of life where it rose 20% over six years with more prescriptions being written for depression, diabetes, asthma, attention-deficit disorder and seizures. And most of those diseases cited have established connections to chronic inflammation.

Soybean, cottonseed, corn, safflower and sunflower oils, all inflammatory Omega-6s, have been abundantly added to processed foods for over 50 years. Many labels now display the grams of Omega-6s as if food manufactures are quite proud of letting us know they’ve added Omega-6s. Truth is, they have always been there in great abundance which is the problem.

Making these products appear to meet the new suggested ratio of 4:1 Omega-6 to Omega-3 might be appealing if it wasn’t so disturbingly obvious, we need to eliminate Omega-6s. The labels should carrying warnings rather than proud statements.

These statistics beg for our awareness, a wake up call, to begin eliminating processed and low-fat foods. With just a few small changes, we can begin to reduce inflammation by replacing processed foods as often as possible with real, wholesome foods, fish twice a week or an Omega-3 supplement less we end up in the statistic column.

To Your Health.

Lois Smithers