Improving Health Outcomes in the US: Let’s Stop Relying on People Swimming Upstream

Building H co-founder Steve Downs co-authored a commentary, along with physician and behavioral scientist Kevin Volpp, that just came out in NEJM Catalyst. Downs and Volpp argue that the persistent long-term growth of chronic diseases in the U.S. cannot be reversed by relying on individual behavior change strategies. As technologies have developed over decades, they have shaped our day-to-day behaviors and, as such, have negatively influenced our health. The next generation of technologies presents and opportunities to reshape everyday life to be healthy by design. Realizing those opportunity will take leadership from the public and private sectors.