Dr. Richard H. Carmona, 17th Surgeon General of the United States (2002-2006), is vice chairman of Canyon Ranch, president of the non-profit Canyon Ranch Institute, and distinguished professor of Public Health at the University of Arizona.

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Guest Opinion: Surgeon general learns value of health literacy

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The Arizona Legislature reconvened last week and I had the honor of addressing the Senate on opening day. I want to reach out to our elected leaders and to my fellow Arizonans on an issue that is overlooked and underappreciated: prevention.

Arizona represents the best of America, and we know that health impacts every aspect of our lives, from our children's ability to learn to maintaining independence throughout our senior years, from business productivity to issues of national security.

During my four years as surgeon general of the United States, I worked to spread the message that disease prevention is the key to a healthy, productive and independent life.

Sadly, in the United States spending to treat preventable chronic diseases accounts for more than 75 percent of the approximately $2 trillion we spend each year on health care. Americans spend more money on health care than any other nation, yet rank 42nd in life expectancy worldwide, down from 11th two decades ago.

While our federal and state governments spend hundreds of billions of dollars a year on treating diseases, they spend less than $10 per person per year to prevent diseases. We are a treatment-focused society, when the real benefits to health and happiness come from preventing diseases before they ever occur.

Benjamin Franklin, the oldest of our Founding Fathers, was right — an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. As a nation, we pride ourselves on our ingenuity and our history of finding ways to improve our quality of life.

We must now fight the next great battle: preventing chronic disease.

The best solutions don't necessarily require new, expensive programs. The good news is that we can prevent many diseases by making small changes in our own behavior, such as choosing healthy foods, eliminating tobacco and being physically active every day.

But to change the overall culture of our nation from focusing on disease treatment to embracing disease prevention, we need evidence-based public policy that incorporates the latest science and uses best practices that generate positive, lasting results.

You can influence Arizona's policies starting today by reaching out to your elected local and state leaders to tell them to invest in disease prevention. For example, ask them to make paths, parks and playgrounds safe for healthy habits. Urge local school boards to support physical education and better nutrition in schools. Encourage them to focus on barriers to good health in order to eliminate health disparities among our diverse population.

Please participate in this important dialogue. The health of our great state depends on it.