Chronic Diseases
A chronic disease is an illness that is prolonged, does not resolve spontaneously, and is rarely cured completely. Almost all of the leading causes of death in Washoe County are chronic diseases that relate to the risk factors of poor diet, physical inactivity, and tobacco use:
- Heart Disease (the #1 cause of death in Washoe County, the state, and the nation)
- Cancer (#2)
- Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease (#3)
- Stroke (#4)
- Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) (#6)
- Diabetes (#11)
*Source: Nevada Interactive Health Databases, 2004
To see a more comlete list of leading causes of death in Washoe County click here.
Nationally, chronic diseases account for 7 out of every 10 deaths and negatively affect the quality of life of over 90 million Americans. This means that practically every individual is directly or indirectly affected by chronic disease.
Although chronic diseases are among the most common health problems, they are also among the most preventable. Adopting healthy behaviors such as eating healthy foods, being physically active, and avoiding tobacco can significantly reduce the risk of developing a chronic illness.
