Why is USA's Prescription Drug Use on the Rise?

Prescription drug use is a phenomenon that will continue to rise with the regular introduction of new pharmaceutical drugs. One study set out to find why prescription drug use rose by 8% percentage points with adults in 10 years. The NHANES study surveyed around 37,000 people, aged 20 and above, in the United States. Over a course of 30 days, participants were asked a series of questions about their prescription drug use habits. Researchers found that the increase in prescription drug use was much greater among the age 40 and older demographic. It's important to look at the type of prescription drugs being used by adults as well. The NHANES study discovered a general increase in prescriptions for depression, blood pressure, and cholesterol problems. One professor from the University of Illinois pointed out that an increase in prescription drug use isn't necessarily an indication of something wrong. However, we disagree. Increasing usage of prescription drugs is an indication that society is continuing to become less healthy and is putting more and more emphasis on a passive fix rather than making more natural and simple lifestyle changes such as positive dietary and physical activity changes. In fact, depression, blood pressure and cholesterol levels can all be positively influenced with rather basic changes to diet and implementation of an exercise regime.