Preventive health
Chronic Conditions Are More Common Than We Think
About three in four U.S. adults had at least one of 12 tracked chronic conditions in 2023. The leading conditions change with age — and several have blood markers you can actually see.
Healiam·October 10, 2026·2 min read
Chronic conditions are common enough that “I’ll deal with it if it happens” is a weak plan. CDC reporting on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System found that 76.4% of U.S. adults had at least one of 12 tracked chronic conditions in 2023. That is about three in four adults.
Every age group is part of the story
The share of adults with at least one chronic condition in 2023:
59.5%
Ages 18–34, up from 52.5% in 2013
78.4%
Ages 35–64
93.0%
Ages 65 and older
Multiple chronic conditions are common too, and they become more so with age. The pattern of *which* condition leads also changes.
What showed up most often in 2023
| Age | Most common | Next | Then |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18–34 | Obesity, 27.3% | Depression, 25.0% | High cholesterol, 16.3% |
| 35–64 | Obesity, 37.1% | High cholesterol, 36.9% | High blood pressure, 35.0% |
| 65 and older | High blood pressure, 61.4% | High cholesterol, 55.1% | Arthritis, 51.3% |
Where a blood test helps
Many of these conditions develop gradually. A blood test does not detect all of them. It can offer information on markers linked to some of them:
- Blood sugar — glucose and HbA1c, relevant to diabetes risk.
- Cholesterol and triglycerides — the lipid panel.
- Kidney and thyroid markers — filtration wastes and thyroid hormones that sit beside energy, metabolism, and blood pressure conversations.
- Blood pressure itself is a cuff measurement, not a lab result. Record it with your biometrics so it sits next to the panel.
Early information is a head start, not a diagnosis. Healiam’s panel is one way to collect 50+ of those measurements, at a health fair or at home, with results in about 4–5 business days.
Sources
- CDC, Preventing Chronic Disease 2025;22:240539. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2013–2023. Figures for prevalence by age and the most common conditions in 2023.
This article is for educational purposes and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Results should be interpreted in the context of your individual health and, when appropriate, discussed with a licensed healthcare professional. Healiam testing and result delivery do not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.