Fitness, wellness, and healthcare expenditures

A healthier cohort results in lower overall

costs

Health care charges, insurance rates and premiums are determined by a number of factors, ranging from infrastructure and administration expenditures to the behaviors and risk factors of individuals and groups. Certain metrics are beyond the ability of an individual to control or impact. Fitness and wellness is a crucial area in which we can decrease fees on an individual and group basis.

Lifestyle Management

minimally processed "whole foods"
are essential to a healthy lifestyle

A primary component in health care expenses consists of lifestyle choices that we make on an individual basis. In some areas, such as certain insurance rates, individuals who engage in healthier lifestyle practices benefit from discounts. Conversely, smoking, excessive drinking, poor dietary choices and sedentary or low activity levels significantly elevate health care costs. The greater the number of individuals that modify their lifestyle to include a balanced nutrition and exercise regimen the lower costs become for the group as whole.

Impeding Disease

nutrition and fitness also strengthens
internal organs and physiological
processes

According to the CDC, chronic diseases account for 75% of health care costs. These expenses often stem from costly pharmaceuticals, procedures and surgeries. Diet and exercise are proven methods in the prevention of a host of chronic diseases. With proper nutrition and fitness practices heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and a host of other chronic disorders can be avoided. Being proactive and eliminating the onset of chronic disease results in a substantial decrease in overall expenses.

Alleviating Symptoms

Diet and exercise aren't a panacea, but they are a viable aid with such issues as arthritis, nausea, fatigue, and hormone regulation. In addition to promoting healthier muscle, organs, and circulation exercise helps to stabilize our mental state. For many ailments nutrition and fitness works in concert with medications. Upward of 20% of health care costs are attributed to prescription drugs. Decreases in the individual need for pharmaceuticals lower prices across the board. Physicians often prescribe diet and exercises as complementary treatment. In some instances nutrition and fitness are the stand alone recommendations for treatment.

Group Synch

Master Trainer Marlon Reid's teaching a group kettlebell class

Healthy dietary and exercise practices on an individual level are extremely important. They contribute to longevity, increased quality of life and greater productivity. When those practices are adopted by a cohort or demographic group the need for more expensive medications and procedures diminishes. This is evidenced by the significant growth of fitness and wellness programs within corporations and government organizations. An ever increasing percentage of organizations institute programs that effectively lower their costs. This in turn lowers the cost to all purchasers and providers of health care insurance and services.

References

CDC: Chronic Diseases [http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/AAG/chronic.htm]

AHRQ: Health Care Costs [http://www.ahrq.gov/research/findings/factsheets/costs/health-care/index.html]

UCLA Health: How Nutrition and Exercise can Increase Productivity and Lower Health Care Costs [http://www.uclahealth.org/body.cfm?id=502&action=detail&ref=134]

USA Today: Is Exercise The Best Medicine? [http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/02/exercise-medicine-heart-disease-diabetes/2907853/]

Ks-cubed fitness, wellness and lifestyle management:

(Un)Wholesome food and fitness survival handbook

Ks³ TeleFitness™