Whole Foods CEO John Mackey

Whole Foods CEO John Mackey said Americans would not need healthcare if they ate better and lived healthier lives. 

"I mean, honestly, we talk about healthcare. The best solution is not to need health care," Mackey told Freakonomics Radio on Nov. 4 and was first reported on Monday by CNBC.

"The best solution is to change the way people eat, the way they live, the lifestyle, and diet," he said. "There's no reason why people shouldn't be healthy and have a longer healthspan. A bunch of drugs is not going to solve the problem."

Mackey dropped some pretty alarming health statistics that show Americans make bad health choices. 

"71% of Americans are overweight and 42.5% are obese. Clearly, we're making bad choices in the way we eat," he said. "It's not a sustainable path. And so, I'm calling it out." 

The numbers also shed light on why the US has had a relatively difficult time containing the virus pandemic because obese Americans are more at risk of contracting the infection. 

To make matters worse, lockdowns and restrictions have led the most obese nation in the world, the US, to become ever more overweight. About a quarter of Americans gained between five and ten pounds since the coronavirus lockdowns.

The reason for the "Quarantine 15" weight gain has been changes in diet, lack of regular exercise and a more sedentary lifestyle.

Mackey has been vocal about adult health for years. In 2009, he argued in a WSJ op-ed that "the last thing our country needs is a massive new healthcare entitlement."

"This begins with the realization that every American adult is responsible for his or her own health," Mackey wrote. "We should take that responsibility very seriously and use our freedom to make wise lifestyle choices that will protect our health."

Suppose Americans listened to Mackey's advice. Then how would big pharma make their billions of dollars from obese people who suffer from heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and high blood pressure?