As part of its commitment to advancing social good, Discovery, a South Africa-based financial services company operating on four continents, is proud to launch The Vitality Institute. The Vitality Institute will use experience and evidence to show what works and what doesnt to help improve health, while helping to reduce the excess of two trillion dollars spent on health care today.
With its debut,The Vitality Institute is releasing data that reveals that Americans are, on average, five years older than their chronological age. This dangerous gap in the chronological age and their risk-adjusted age, or Vitality Age, underscores increasing concern about an aging population and the rising costs of health care in the U.S.[1]
We have evidence that we can reverse negative health trends by motivating and rewarding healthy behaviors, said Adrian Gore, CEO, Discovery. Our best success has built on the data and experience from public health, academia, entrepreneurs and private enterprise. This commitment to The Vitality Institute is an acknowledgment that research and collaboration across sectors is a critical step toward improving quality and quantity of life and reducing health care costs.
Focusing on health promotion to improve health outcomes and mitigate escalating costs is a growing and proven strategy. Through its launch in South Africa and global expansion into in the United States, United Kingdom and China, Discovery has paved the way for a data-driven approach to measurable prevention. Its programs have been recognized for their effectiveness in incentivizing healthy behaviors through the World Economic Forums Workplace Wellness Alliance, which noted that its science-based programs have shown a positive impact on healthcare costs.[2]
As a global society, we have made much progress in disease intervention, said Derek Yach, SVP, The Vitality Group and Executive Director of the Vitality Institute. Proof of this is that people are living longer, which is testament to the organized approach that hospitals, pharmacies, governments and biopharmaceutical manufacturers have made in saving lives. It is now time to rally across sectors to model that systemized approach to drive change in health promotion that leads to preventing disease and driving improved outcomes and reduced costs for individuals, businesses and society.
The Vitality Institute will work with leaders in the public and private sectors to find better and more sustainable solutions to prevent and manage major risks for chronic diseases.
For more information about The Vitality Institute, visit thevitalityinstitute.org. To join the conversation on Twitter, follow The Vitality Institute @VitalityInst.
