Unhealthy eating and physical inactivity are leading causes of death in the U.S.
Unhealthy diet contributes to approximately 678,000 deaths each year in the U.S., due to nutrition- and obesity-related diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.1 In the last 30 years, obesity rates have doubled in adults, tripled in children, and quadrupled in adolescents.2, 3, 4
Risk Factors and the Number of Deaths in the US, 20161
Risk Factor No. of Deaths in 2016 % of Total Deaths
Dietary risks (other than BMI) 529,999 19.1%
Tobacco 492,437 17.8%
High Blood Pressure 481,501 17.4%
High BMI 385,965 13.9%
High FPG 376,498 13.6%
High Total Cholesterol 233,233 8.41%
Impaired Kidney Function 174,559 6.30%
Alcohol & Drug Use 155,575 5.61%
Air Pollution 105,084 3.79%
Low Physical Activity 91,670 3.31%
Occupational Risks 89,684 3.23%
Low Bone Mineral Density 25,994 0.94%
Other Environmental Risks 24,356 0.88%
Unsafe Sex 13,465 0.49%
Malnutrition 11,019 0.40%
Sexual Abuse & Violence 2,458 0.09%
WaSH 2,121 0.08%
The typical American diet is too high in calories, saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars, and does not have enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains, calcium, and fiber. Such a diet contributes to some of the leading causes of death and increases the risk of numerous diseases5, including:
heart disease;
diabetes;
obesity;
high blood pressure;
stroke;
osteoporosis;6 and
cancers, including cervical, colon, gallbladder, kidney, liver, ovarian, uterine, and postmenopausal breast cancers; leukemia; and esophageal cancer (after researchers took smoking into account).7
Leading Causes of Death (2012)7
1. Heart Disease 599,711
2. Cancer 582,623
3. Chronic lower respiratory disease 143,489
4. Cerebrovascular disease (stroke and related conditions) 128,546
5. Unintentional injuries (accidents) 127,792
6. Alzheimer’s disease 83,637
7. Diabetes mellitus 73,932
8. Influenza and pneumonia 50,636
9. Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis (kidney disease) 45,622
10. Intentional self-harm (suicide) 40,600
*Diseases to which poor diet contributes are in bold
Unhealthy eating habits and inactivity affect quality of life and cause disabilities
Few recognize that unhealthy diet is a leading cause of disability. Yet unhealthy eating habits and physical inactivity are leading causes of loss of independence:
Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness and amputations. Roughly 73,000 people have lower-limb amputations each year due to diabetes.8
Bone injuries due to osteoporosis are most likely to occur in the hips, spine, and wrist. Even just a slight fracture in these areas can result in loss of independence. Twenty percent of seniors who break their hip die within just one year. Those who survive often require long-term (nursing home) care.8, 9
Heart attack or stroke can result in difficulty with everyday activities—such as walking, bathing, or getting into or out of bed—or cognitive impairment.10
Number of Americans Living with Diseases Related to Diet and Inactivity
Obesity11 78,100,000
High Blood Pressure12 66,900,000
Diabetes13 29,100,000
Heart disease14 26,600,000
Cancer14 20,073,000
Osteoporosis15 9,900,000
Stroke14 6,400,000
Obesity rates are skyrocketing
Over two-thirds (67.5%) of American adults are overweight or obese.2
Obesity rates in children have tripled over the last three decades, and one in three children and adolescents 2-19 years old is overweight or obese.4, 16
Read more about how public policies could help reduce obesity.
It's expensive to ignore prevention
Costs of Diseases Associated with Diet and Inactivity*
Diabetes8 $245 billion
Cancer18 $216.6 billion
Coronary heart disease9 $204.4 Billion
Obesity20 $190 Billion
High blood pressure19 $46.4 Billion
Stroke19 $36.5 Billion
Osteoporosis9 $19 Billion
* Estimates of annual direct + indirect costs for diseases overall (including portions caused by factors other than diet and physical inactivity), except for the figure for obesity, which is an estimate of direct (medical) costs only.
Health care costs $8,900 per person per year.21 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a 1% reduction in dietary health risks such as weight, blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol risk factors would save $83 to $103 per person per year in medical costs.22
