Copyright Mechanicsburg Patriot News
By Robert M. Umbriac Why is it that we see so much illness in our country, both physical and mental? Most people know some of what it takes to stay healthy, but don’t go about doing it. Why is this? There are two reasons: lack of health knowledge and the fact that this knowledge has not become internalized enough to be given priority. This means they don’t prioritize the fact that they can largely control their health. Health should be taught in a comprehensive, sequential fashion so that each grade builds on previous knowledge starting in kindergarten, beginning with basic hygiene, e.g. handwashing, brushing teeth, etc. This should be done sequentially through every grade covering all aspects of health, grade appropriate, including nutrition, physical activity, stress management, conflict resolution, empathy, relationships and social-emotional learning. Students should study anatomy and physiology. The educational aspect of such a curriculum is not the challenge. The challenge is getting students, who will become adults and parents, to actually use their health education to safeguard their health. Only about 15-25 % is beyond our control due to genetic or environmental factors. Being on a school board, I have found that curriculum change locally is difficult for many reasons, both financial and logistical. This is why health education needs to be mandated either by the state or federal government, providing tremendous benefits to our students and society as a whole. Current health education is good but inadequate, because it has not provided a significant increase in our students/citizens health. My three recent visits to the Bloomsburg, Pa., fair, the state’s largest, reinforced the fact that the United States has an obesity problem. Such a program would lower obesity rates and associated health risks such as diabetes and heart disease. There would be better prevention of substance abuse, improved sexual health, teen pregnancy and STD prevention, reduced stigma about mental health and teaching of coping strategies. Studies have shown that exercise can be as effective as medications in the treatment of mild to moderate anxiety and depression without the side effects. Improved health is linked to improved academic performance, attendance, focus and motivation. In 2023 health care in the United States was $4.9 trillion, twice as much as the next advanced nation, and yet only 2-3 % of the health care dollar goes toward prevention. I Our collective health has steadily declined and much of the health care dollar is spent on treatment of chronic illnesses that are largely preventable. The World Health Organization reports that up to 80% of heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes, and 40% of cancers could be prevented with healthy behaviors. I would ask: what other way can we as a nation improve our collective health but through such a program with the focus on how students/adults think about their ability to control their lifestyle to maintain/improve their health. It must become ingrained in how they think and hearing it through all grades from different sources will help ensure it. The initial cost of implementing such a program would be far outweighed by the benefits. Envision a future of people who truly understand their ability to largely control their most important asset, their health. If you feel strongly about this initiative, contact the people who can make this happen, your congressmen and senators.
