In medicine, a chronic disease is a disease that is long lasting or recurrent.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chronic diseases-such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and arthritis- are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems in the U.S.

How are acute and chronic illness different?

The Symptom Cycle

Many people assume that the symptoms they experience are due to only one cause: the disease. While the disease can cause pain, shortness of breath and fatigue, it is not the only cause. Each symptom can by themselves contribute to  the other, make each worse and can even feed on each other.

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Top 4 Common Causes of Chronic Disease

These four causes are responsible for much of the illness, suffering, and early death related to chronic disease:

• Lack of Physical Activity
• Poor Nutrition
• Tobacco Use
• Excessive Alcohol Consumption

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4 Easy Steps to Prevent Chronic Illness

• Healthy Food Habits
  • Go for whole grains
  • Vary your vegetables-use in fresh in season, frozen or canned
  • Buy fresh fruits in season or use dried, frozen or canned
  • Drink/Eat low fat dairy products
  • Eat lean protein sources
• Physical Activity
  • Take a brisk walk on a regular basis
  • Adults should get 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most day of the week or at least 20 minutes of vigorous exercise 3 days per week
• Be Tobacco Free
  • Join a Smoking Cessation Class
  • Call the Quit Line: 1-800-QUIT-NOW
• Get Screenings
  • Discover health problems earlier when they are easier to treat
  • Provide important information to help you stay health now and in the future.

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How healthy is Pulaski County?

Resources:

• Ranked 109 out of 115 counties for Health Behaviors
• 30% of adults in Pulaski Co. are smokers   (That's 5% above the state rate)
• 32% of adults in Pulaski Co. are obese (which means they have a BMI above 30.0)
• 13% of Pulaski County Adults are reported to be binge drinkers
• Pulaski Co. has a Premature death rate of 8,707 versus the State rate at 8,112 (per 100,000 population)
• 7 out of 10 Missourians will die each year from a chronic illness

Living a Health Life with Chronic Conditions, Third Edition 2006
CDC.GOV Chronic Disease Prevention
​County Health Rankings