When most people think about what makes Americans sick, they probably picture things like the flu or getting hurt in an accident. But the truth is that the biggest health problems in the U.S. are chronic diseases, which are long-term conditions like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. According to the CDC, 90 percent of the country’s $4.9 trillion in yearly health care spending goes toward people with chronic and mental health conditions. That’s a huge amount of money, and it shows just how much these diseases affect not only the people who have them but everyone else too. The article below takes a closer look at what chronic diseases are, why they cost so much, and what we can do about them.

Fast Facts: Health and Economic Costs of Chronic Conditions | Chronic Disease | CDC