By Barry A. Franklin

Michigan lawmakers are making difficult choices regarding our states budget for the coming year. A huge portion of Michigans annual budget is spent on health care and chronic disease, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity, which make up most of the states health care expenditures.According to Gov. Rick Snyders office, the cost of treating coronary heart disease in Michigan -- the most prevalent and preventable form of heart disease -- exceeds $5.9 billion a year. Heart disease accounts for one of every six health care dollars spent.

The astronomical costs related to chronic conditions are certainly unsustainable, especially as our state works to balance budgets in tough financial times. But these costs dont take into account the devastating human costs. Cardiovascular disease causes one in three deaths in Michigan. In very real terms, that is a grandparent taken before he sees his grandson graduate from high school,a mother who will never help her daughter pick out a prom dress, or an uncle who is so disabled he is unable to play ball with his only niece.

Chronic illness can often be prevented by choosing a healthier lifestyle by increasing physical activity, consuming more fruits and vegetables and stopping -- or never starting -- tobacco use.

Anyone who has ever tried to take off a few pounds or begin a new workout routine knows that it can be difficul.We need the support of our families, our communities, our health care providers and even our state to make these cardio-protective lifestyle changes. Snyder has proposed a program to help empower individuals to make healthier choices and prevent chronic disease. The governors 4x4 Plan addresses obesity and other risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease by encouraging individuals to know their numbers: blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels and body mass index. They must also maintain a healthy diet, engage in regular exercise, get regular physical exams and avoid tobacco use and secondhand smoke.Snyder proposes to help fund local coalitions to develop local, evidence-based interventions for addressing obesity and chronic illness and to promote healthier choices through public awareness campaigns.

As a 32-year volunteer leader with the American Heart Association, a member of the AHA National Board of Trustees and Administrative Cabinet, and a health care professional, I am acutely aware of the potential benefit of the governors proposal. You can imagine my concern when I saw that the state House and Senate both removed the funding for this critical prevention program. The governor proposed a mere $2.25 million in funding for the 4x4 Plan, which is a reasonable investment when one considers the financial and human costs from obesity and chronic disease in Michigan.

Final decisions on the budget have not yet been made, and our legislators can still choose to restore the funding for the 4x4 Plan and other prevention programs coordinated through the Michigan Department of Community Health.

Cardiovascular risk reduction saves lives and improves health outcomes. Many health risks can be avoided or minimized through good judgment and personal responsibility in behaviors, habits and lifestyles.This is challenging work that must be addressed throughcollaboration at all levels of government, the private sector, communities and individuals. If we each practice the 4x4 plan, our lives will be fuller, our state health costs will be reduced and our ability to take advantage of all that is good in Michigan will be enhanced. I urge all Michigan lawmakers to work together to make prevention a priority and help provide us with the tools we need to feel empowered to make these life-saving changes.

Barry A. Franklin, Ph.D., FAHA is the director, Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation at Beaumont Health System and professor, Internal Medicine Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine.

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GUEST OPINION: Restore funding to governor’ health fitness plan