FEATURE
A CLOSER LOOK AT REALITY By understanding what those around you are dealing with, you’ll not only know how to better approach them about Melaleuca, but you’ll also understand how desperately they need the lifeline that only you can offer. While everyone’s situation is different, here’s a look at some of the startling statistics so many people are living with right now. HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES CONTINUE TO RISE According to a recent AP poll, 69% of Americans say their household expenses went up in 2023. 3 On average, the cost of typical necessities has gone up more than $700 per month compared to just two years ago. 4 The fact that the biggest price jumps are in items that people buy most often is making the financial pinch feel even more painful. Just one in three Americans are confident that their current financial situation will allow them to keep up with expenses! 3 Only 26% of Americans say they are confident in their ability to pay for an unexpected medical expense, and only 18% say they have enough money for retirement. 3
PUTTING MORE ON THE CARD As household expenses continue to rise while wages remain stagnant, more and more Americans are relying on credit to get by. But it’s coming at a tremendous cost. Credit card balances in the US now total more than $1.08 trillion—the highest level ever recorded! Over the past two years, the average credit card balance increased by a whopping 40%! 6 Nearly 80% of Americans say that their overall debt is higher or about the same as it was a year ago, meaning they are carrying a balance and paying high interest rates. The average credit card interest rate is now nearly 28%! 7 FINANCIAL STRUGGLES CAUSE PHYSICAL STRESS All that financial stress can add up to feelings of stress and anxiety. In fact, 77% of Americans are now reporting that they’ve lost sleep over money worries. 8 To learn more about how financial stress impacts physical health, see the article on page 68. A DIRE HEALTH PICTURE Wellness can’t be compartmentalized. When someone is struggling in one area of their life, that strife very often leads to problems in other areas. That helps explain why Americans’ health issues have gotten worse over the last few years. Increased stress over finances can make it harder to make and afford smart food and nutrition choices, and Americans are piling on the pounds as a result. Nearly 74% of Americans over the age of 20 are now overweight, with 41% qualifying as obese. 9 Obesity is one of the most visible ways the body manifests a whole host of underlying health conditions. It’s no wonder that obesity
TYPICAL PRICE INCREASES: +23% MILK +51% EGGS +53% GASOLINE
COMPARED TO PRICES IN 2020 5
3. Cora Lewis “Many Americans Say Their Household Expenses are Outpacing Earnings This Year, AP-NORC poll shows,” Associated Press, October 27, 2023. 4. Matt Egan, “US Inflation Means Families Are Spending $709 More per Month Than Two Years Ago,” CNN, August 11, 2023. 5. Christopher Rugaber, “Why Americans Feel Gloomy about the Economy Despite Falling Inflation and Low Unemployment,” Associated Press, November 19, 2023. 6. Jessica Dickler, “56 Million Americans Have Been in Credit Card Debt for at Least a Year. ‘We are Seeing Pockets of Trouble,’ Expert Says,” CNBC.com, January 8, 2024. 7. Michelle Black, Robin Saks Frankel, “What Is the Average Credit Card Interest Rate This Week? January 22, 2024,” Forbes.com, January 22, 2024. 8. Annie Atherton, “77% of Us Lose Sleep Over Financial Worries. How Do We Earn It Back?” SleepFoundation.org, November 2023. 9. “Obesity and Overweight,” National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm. 10. “Adult Obesity Facts,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html. 11. Chris Melore, “Cardiovascular Crisis? Only 1 in 5 Americans Has Excellent Heart Health,” StudyFinds.org, June 29, 2022. 12. “Only 12 Percent of American Adults are Metabolically Healthy, Carolina Study Finds,” UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, November 28, 2018.
16 MARCH 2024 | MELALEUCA.COM/LIA
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