Roadblocks to healthy changes

Although the vast majority of Americans (86 percent) attempt changes to improve their overall health, less than half of those who consider making lifestyle changes (46 percent) are actually successful, according to a Harris Interactive survey, commissioned by Livestrong.com. "There is no question that just about everyone believes they can take better care of themselves and every day we hear information about the multitude of ways to make that happen," says Dr. Sanjay Gupta, physician, chief medical advisor of Livestrong.com and chief medical correspondent at CNN. "Today's survey proves this, but also shows us that there is a clear need for resources and tools to help them to take an active role on their overall health and well-being. The key to successfully making changes is increased awareness and constant maintenance, which means setting goals for yourself and committing to them on a daily basis." The survey of 2,511 adults found 81 percent of U.S. adults indicated that there are specific factors that prevent/would prevent them from making the needed changes to benefit their overall health. Roadblocks cited in the survey were, lack of motivation, lack of money and lack of time, respectively. Other factors that prevented people from making changes included: lack of tools/resources, lack of support and lack of knowledge/information. Women (91 percent) more so than men (82 percent) think about making changes, yet females are more impacted by the top roadblocks than males. Also, adults with higher income and education levels are more likely to indicate "lack of time" as a factor, while those with lower income levels are more likely to cite a "lacks of tools/resources" as a key barrier to making lifestyle-related changes. "It's all about consistency,” says Lance Armstrong, founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation and Advisory Board Chairman, Livestrong.com. “We all know that thinking about making a change is different from actually going out and doing something about it. Whether someone is thinking about losing weight, eating healthy, running a marathon or just incorporating regular exercise in their day-to-day life, it takes commitment and daily determination to successfully effect positive change." Livestrong.com Survey