PROVO — The number of American suffering from chronic diseases is on the rise, but one group of Brigham Young University students hopes a recent visit to the nation's capital will help put a stop to the trend.

The 14 public health students attended the 10th annual Health Education Advocacy Summit in early March and then visited with 28 legislative aides, senators and representatives from their home states, including Utah, Washington and Montana.

"It was a fun thing for the students to see that legislators care and want to respond to public issues," said Michael Barnes, one of the two professors who accompanied the students on their trip.

Their efforts focused on promoting preventive measures to decrease the prevalence of chronic disease. Treatment programs such as Medicaid and Medicare often get the most attention, said Emily McIntyre, a public health graduate student, but do little to address the root of health problems.

"I think we really raised a voice for prevention," she said.

The students discussed a number of issues with government officials, including changes they hope will be made to No Child Left Behind when it comes up for reauthorization in 2008.

"We advocated that health education and physical education be included as core subjects," McIntyre said.

Students also urged legislators to increase funding for programs aimed at decreasing disease among minorities and the elderly.

Individuals older than 65 are the most susceptible to chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease and, according to the Centers Center for Disease Control, about 80 percent of those individuals have at least one disease which could cause disability or premature death.

"With the older population increasing, it's going to be a huge burden on the economy and on the health care system in general," said Aaron Meacham, a graduate student.

Before leaving Washington, the students spent a day with Rich McKeown, chief of staff for Michael Leavitt, currently secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. The experience taught the students the power of individual citizens, they said.

"If everyone would speak up for the issues they value, our nation would be completely different," said Andrea Ponder, an undergraduate public health student.

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