Take Action For Health

Our health is impacted by a combination of individual choices, our environment, public policy and clinical care.

For over 20 years, America’s Health Rankings® has been tracking the state of our nation’s health by studying numerous health measures to compile a comprehensive perspective on our nation’s health issues, state by state.

Search the rankings to discover little known facts and statistics, and find out how you can take action and become an advocate for improving our nation’s health.

Smoking in America

Smoking measures the percentage of the population over age 18 who smoke tobacco products regularly. It is defined as the percentage of adults who self-report smoking at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and who currently smoke every day or some days. The national median of regular smokers is 21.2 percent of adults. The percentage of the adult population who smokes varies from a low of 11.8 percent in Utah to 29.0 percent in Kentucky.

Smoking has a very well documented adverse impact on overall health. It is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. Smoking damages nearly every organ in the body and causes many diseases, including respiratory disease, heart disease, stroke, cancer, preterm birth, low birthweight, and premature death. Smoking is a lifestyle behavior that an individual can directly influence with support from the community and, as required, clinical intervention.

Obesity in America

Obesity is the percentage of the adult population estimated to be obese, defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 or higher. The prevalence of obesity ranges from 20.7 percent of the adult population in Colorado to 34.9 percent of the adult population in Mississippi. The national median of obese adults is 27.8 percent. This means that more than one in four adults are obese in the United States – that is more than 66 million adults with a body mass index of 30.0 or higher. Obesity is one of the greatest health threats to the U.S. It contributes significantly to a variety of serious diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and certain cancers as well as poor general health. Obesity is a leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., and the direct medical costs associated with obesity in 2008 were estimated at $147 billion.

Physical Inactivity

Sedentary Lifestyle is the percentage of adults who report doing no physical activity or exercise (such as running, calisthenics, golf, gardening, or walking) other than their regular job in the last 30 days.  The percentage of sedentary adults ranges from 36 percent of the adult population in Mississippi to 16.5 percent in Colorado. The national median is 26.2 percent.

Regular physical activity is one of the most important elements of a healthy lifestyle. A sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and premature death.

Diabetes in America

Diabetes is the percentage of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have diabetes, excluding pre-diabetes and gestational diabetes. The percentage of adults with diabetes ranges from 12.0 percent in Mississippi to 6.7 percent in Colorado. The national median of adults with diabetes is 9.5 percent.

Diabetes is often an outcome of an unhealthy lifestyle and increases one’s risk of developing many other diseases and complications.  Type 2 diabetes is a largely preventable progressive disease that is managed through lifestyle modifications and health care interventions; it accounts for 90 to 95 percent of all cases.

Take Action For Senior Health

In the next 15 years, America’s senior population will grow by 53 percent. People are living longer lives than ever before. Unfortunately, while we are living longer lives, we are seeing poorer health among people aging into their senior years. By looking holistically at key measures related to seniors’ lifestyles, social supports, environment, clinical care and health care outcomes, we get a comprehensive picture of senior health that reflects the unique challenges of each state. Based on a rigorous review of 34 measures, the 2013 America’s Health Rankings Senior Report finds Minnesota is the leading state for senior health and Mississippi ranks last for senior health.

Over a quarter of seniors are already obese and at an increased risk of developing numerous health problems including diabetes, hypertension, and certain cancers. Obesity is also associated with poorer health status and an earlier death. Fortunately weight loss can dramatically decrease the likelihood of developing health problems and can even help with the management if they have already developed.

The obesity measure is the percentage of the population aged 65 and older estimated to be obese, defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 or higher. The prevalence of obesity among adults aged 65 and older varies from 16.9 percent in Hawaii to more than 29.0 percent in Illinois, Iowa, Alaska, and Michigan. Nationally, the percent of adults aged 65 and older who are obese is 25.3 percent. 

Physical inactivity is especially relevant in the senior population as aging causes a gradual decline in muscle mass, but with regular physical activity seniors can slow this process allowing them to be active throughout aging. Physical inactivity has other serious adverse affects on health as it increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and premature death. Regular physical activity not only helps prevents these health conditions, but can also help with their management. 

The physical inactivity measure is the percentage of the population aged 65 and older with fair or better health status who report doing no physical activity or exercise (such as running, calisthenics, golf, gardening, or walking) other than their regular job in the last 30 days. The prevalence of physical inactivity among adults aged 65 and older varies from 20.5 percent in Colorado to more than 41.0 percent in West Virginia and Tennessee. Nationally, the percent of adults aged 65 and older who are physically inactive is 30.3 percent.

Low-care nursing home residents do not require the physical assistance provided by nursing homes and may be able to live in a less restrictive environment with the aid of community support. This measure helps us address the need for community-based support and/or assisted living alternatives to reduce reliance on traditional nursing home settings for people requiring a lower level of support. Community-based services—such as Meals on Wheels, visiting home health aides, transportation programs, and technology-delivered healthcare programs—can allow older adults to age in place.

Low-Care Nursing Home Residents is the percentage of nursing home residents who are low-care, meaning they do not require physical assistance in any of the 4 late-loss activities of daily living (ADLs)—bed mobility, transferring, using the toilet, and eating. The national average of low-care nursing home residents is 12.2 percent and ranges from a low of 1.1 percent of nursing home residents in Maine to a high of 26.7 percent in Illinois.

The ability to access affordable and nutritious food is important and necessary to sustain a healthy life. This  is a rising public health issue in the United States and older adults are at an increased risk of facing hunger due to lack of income and transportation, functional limitations, or health related issues. Older adults struggling with access to food consume significantly less vital nutrients than those with access to food, which can have tremendous implications for their overall health.

The food insecurity measure is the percentage of adults aged 60 and older who are marginally food insecure, or face the threat of hunger. The percentage of adults aged 60 and older who are marginally food insecure varies from a low of 5.5 percent in North Dakota to a high of more than 21.0 percent in New Mexico and Mississippi. The national average of marginally food insecure seniors is 13.6 percent of adults aged 60 and older.