As you ponder your resolutions for 2025, the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (OASH) is busy working to improve the health of all people through Healthy People 2030.
Consider making one health goal for 2025, forming it around the Healthy People 2030 ‘Leading Health Indicators’, or LHI. These high-priority health issues include:
- Reducing cigarette smoking in adults and adolescents
- Reducing consumption of added sugars in all people aged 2 years and older
- Increasing Control of high blood pressure in adults
- Increasing the proportion of adults who get screened for colorectal cancer
- Increasing the proportion of people who get the flu vaccine every year
- Increasing the proportion of adults who do enough aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity
This year, be realistic and specific about your goal. Here are some ideas to make it doable:
- Don’t take on too much. It’s easy to get overwhelmed.
- Choose a resolution that you haven’t used before. Make it new and exciting.
- Put some time into planning so that you can be more successful.
- Focus on your one goal.
- If your goal is large, break it up to make it smaller and more manageable.
- Start small and increase as you go along.
- Remember that change is a process.
- Get support or use the ‘buddy system’ to help you achieve your goal.
- Keep working on the goal! It’s easy to lose track after the first 2-3 months of the year.
- Keep a journal or blog of your activities and achievements.
- Reward yourself for a job well done!
For more information about your chosen health goal, discuss it with your Primary Care Physician. Look for education and decision tools on Health Wise (www.https://capitalhealth.com/healthwise-knowledgebase).
For more information on Healthy People 2030, go to https://odphp.health.gov/our-work/national-health-initiatives/healthy-people/healthy-people-2030/questions-answers