Chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases account for more than 85 percent of all deaths in the United States. Obesity and asthma in particular are among the leading causes of preventable deaths in the United States and constitute a large portion of health care expenditures. Type 2 diabetes costs alone exceeded US$245 billion in 2012.
Despite many medical advancements over the past decade, there is a growing recognition that disease prevention and better disease management are critical to reducing preventable deaths and containing rising health care costs.
