The United Health Foundation’s annual America’s Health Rankings Annual Report revealed that the obesity rate within America has reached its highest level ever in 2018, along with increases in cardiovascular disease deaths, suicide, and drugs deaths resulting in an increase in premature death. However, this 29th year of the report also found an increase in mental health providers and primary care physicians as well as a falling rate of childhood poverty.
“This year’s Annual Report spotlights an obesity problem that continues to grow,” said UnitedHealthcare National Markets CMO, Dr. Rohnda Randall. “This means more people will likely develop obesity-related chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. We encourage health professionals, public health officials and elected leaders to use these findings to explore opportunities to better support people in their communities in all aspects of their health.”
From all of the above factors, premature deaths rose 3% from 7,214 to 7,432 years lost before age 75 per 100,000 people. The obesity rate rose 5% from last year, from 29.9% in 2017 to 31.3%, the first time in American Health Rankings history the rate exceeds 30% in adults. Child Poverty fell by 19% in the past 5 years, with a 6% decrease from 2017, and mental health providers and primary care physicians per 100,000 people increased 8% and 5% over the past year respectively.
In addition to providing nation-wide statistics, America’s Health Rankings Annual Report ranks individual states on their national health by examining behaviors, policies, clinical care, and conditions for a holistic view of national health. Across their 35 core measures, Hawaii placed first as the healthiest state in 2018, followed by Massachusetts in second, and Connecticut in third.
