12 DISEASES THAT STRIKE OLDER AMERICANS BY THE MILLIONS
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If you’re an adult in the U.S., the odds are overwhelming that you have a chronic health condition.
About 194 million U.S. adults — or about 76% of the adult population — had at least one chronic health condition as of 2023, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As bad as that might seem, the numbers are worse for older adults, with 93% of adults aged 65 or older reporting at least one chronic condition. In addition, about 79% of folks in that age group have two or more chronic conditions.
The CDC notes that chronic conditions are a major source of both disability and death.
According to the report, common long-term health problems among older Americans include:
- High blood pressure: 61.4% of Americans aged 65 or older had this condition as of 2023 (down from 63% one decade prior)
- High cholesterol: 55.1% (down from 55.6%)
- Arthritis: 51.3% (down from 52.7%)
- Obesity: 30.3% (up from 26.5%)
- Diabetes: 23.5% (up from 22.4%)
- Heart disease: 15.7% (down from 18.4%)
- Cancer: 20.1% (up from 17.7%)
- Depression: 14.7% (unchanged)
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): 12.4% (up from 12.2%)
- Asthma: 9.3% (up from 8.3%)
- Stroke: 7.4% (down from 7.6%)
- Chronic kidney disease: 8.6% (up from 5.7%)
The CDC defines high blood pressure as having readings that are consistently at or above 130/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). Normal blood pressure is a reading of less than 120/80 mmHg.
High cholesterol, also known as hyperlipidemia, typically is defined as a total cholesterol level of above 200 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter of blood). A good total cholesterol number is about 150 mg/dL.
Aim for a low-density lipoprotein (LDL) — or “bad” — cholesterol level of 100 mg/dL, the CDC says. Also, a high-density lipoprotein (HDL) — or “good” — cholesterol level of 40 mg/dL for men and 50 mg/dL for women is considered to be healthy. Triglycerides, another type of fat, should be less than 150 mg/dL.
The CDC defines obesity as having a body mass index (a measure of body fat based on height and weight) of 30 or higher. You can use the CDC’s BMI calculator to compute your own BMI.
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While older Americans are the group most likely to report chronic conditions, younger adults also deal with long-term and potentially serious health issues.
About 60% of those between the ages of 18 and 34, and 78.4% of adults between the ages of 35 and 64, have at least one chronic condition, according to the CDC.
Some chronic conditions cannot be avoided, of course. They may be inherited, for example. Others can be prevented or mitigated through lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise, better eating habits and elimination of unhealthy habits.
The CDC emphasizes that addressing these chronic conditions as early as possible is often the best way to slow the progression of disease, which can result in improved outcomes over the course of a person’s lifespan.
For more tips about how to monitor your health, check out “11 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Taking Your Blood Pressure.”
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2026-01-24T21:11:22Z
