New York office - 646-873-7565 / usnews@swns.com
NEWS COPY w/ VIDEO & INFOGRAPHIC
Despite being willing to pay more than $20,000 for perfect health, 64 percent of Americans say they don't have time to take care of themselves.
A poll of 2,000 Americans asked respondents to disclose how much they’d be willing to pay to be 100 percent healthy at all times – and respondents revealed they’d shell out exactly $22,400 for their health.
Unfortunately, most Americans feel that maintaining peak health isn't possible for them, as 64 percent say they don’t have time to take care of themselves the way they’d like to.
In fact, 71 percent claim to not practice the healthiest habits in their everyday lives.
The study, conducted by OnePoll in conjunction with Elysium Health for National Health Education Week, examined the health habits and attitudes of 2,000 Americans and uncovered that 71 percent are not satisfied with their overall health.
It turns out, over half of those studied (53 percent) believe exercise to be the leading lifestyle factor impacting their overall health.
Diet is a close second with 45 percent of respondents agreeing what they eat has a great impact on their overall health.
It’s no wonder that 39 percent of those surveyed say they don’t think they get enough exercise during the week. In fact, 67 percent reveal they simply don’t have the time to exercise as much as they’d like.
But more than just exercise, diet and eating healthy seems to be difficult for Americans to maintain. Sixty-four percent of respondents say eating healthy is too expensive.
That being said, 53 percent of respondents feel like their health is something they don’t need to worry about at this time in their life -- that number increases to 59 percent among those aged 25–34.
In addition, 63 percent of the people surveyed say they plan on worrying about being more health-conscious when they’re older – with 68 percent of those aged 35–44 revealing they will worry about their health later in life.
The average American polled felt they’ll only be healthy until age 58, but still would like to live until at least age 100.
"People generally think that aging is an unstoppable force that they just have to accept," said Elysium Health CEO Eric Marcotulli, "but it's not. Healthy aging is actually what dictates our overall health, and it's something we have control over. Diet and exercise play a big role in determining the rate at which we age and, ultimately, our healthspan. Recent advancements in aging research, however, have also allowed for the development of interventions that target fundamental processes of aging."
Unfortunately, for many, feeling healthy can seem like a major obstacle. Sixty-six percent of those studied say it takes too much effort to feel healthy.
But that doesn’t mean Americans are happy about their health. In fact, 71 percent say their health inhibits them from feeling happy – it's no wonder that people have been searching for centuries for the fountain of youth.
Even though Americans know that health is important and that feeling unhealthy impacts their quality of health and happiness, results reveal that the average American opts for the unhealthy food choice five times a week, even when given a healthier alternative.
In fact, 66 percent agree that when they are stressed, they tend to partake in unhealthy habits.
With so many not feeling their best most of the time, it’s no surprise that over half (54 percent) would be short of money if it meant they could be 100 percent healthy. And 74 percent wish they felt better than they do right now.
An overwhelming 82 percent of those surveyed said that they would be interested in taking a test that could provide them with a complete picture of their overall health prior to developing a chronic illness. And, with 67 percent reporting that they can't exercise as much as they'd like, it's clear that Americans have a desire to dedicate more time to supporting their health.
“Aging isn't about wrinkles and skin cream or gray hair, it's about fundamental processes that affect our health at the cellular level far before we notice the physical signs of aging," added Marcotulli. "As Americans, our culture is focused on appearance, but people don't realize that long-term health is determined by the lifestyle choices we make throughout life, even when we're relatively young.
"Scientific advancements have enabled us to support our health beyond diet and exercise, but we can't wait for it to decline to consider it. We have to invest in our health with the same approach that we do investing for retirement – a little every day – so we can enjoy our health later in life."
TOP 5 THINGS PEOPLE SAY AFFECTS THEIR OVERALL HEALTH
1. Exercise 53%
2. Diet 45%
3. Quality sleep 42%
4. Mental health 29%
5. Environmental exposure 28%
5 UNIQUE HEALTHY THINGS AMERICANS DO FOR THEMSELVES
- “Meditate on a regular basis.”
- “Play basketball with my kids every morning.”
- “Drink five glasses of water in the morning.”
- “Early morning jogs.”
- “I make sure I walk three miles every week.”
