News Articles

Obesity is a major health concern in the United States, impacting nearly one in three adults. In the 30 years that America’s Health Rankings has been compiling public health information, the prevalence of obesity climbed by more than 170 percent. In 1990, 11.6 percent of American adults were obese. Today, that percentage has risen to 31.3 percent. In 2018 alone, obesity increased by 5 percent, the largest year-over-year increase since 2014.

Over the past thirty years, the prevalence of obesity has grown by 170 percent in the United States. The significant growth in the prevalence of obesity has encouraged America's Health Rankings to take a special look at how we can better understand and address the challenge of obesity.

The America’s Health Rankings team spoke with Dr. Anna Schenck of the University of North Carolina to learn how she uses the resources and data provided at AmericasHealthRankings.org. Dr. Schenck serves as Professor of the Practice and Director of the Public Health Leadership Program at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. She is also Chair of the America’s Health Rankings Scientific Advisory Committee.

The America’s Health Rankings team spoke with Dr. David Lakey of the University of Texas System to learn how he uses the resources and data provided at AmericasHealthRankings.org. Dr. Lakey serves a dual role as the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and Chief Medical Officer at The University of Texas System and as Senior Advisor to the President and Professor of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler.

MINNETONKA, Minn. – The nation’s obesity rate has reached the highest-ever level this year, according to the United Health Foundation’s 2018 America’s Health Rankings® Annual Report. Obesity is a leading contributor to cardiovascular disease, cancer and other conditions. Additionally, an increase in drug deaths, suicides and cardiovascular disease deaths is contributing to an increase in premature death.

MINNETONKA, Minn. (May 17, 2018) – A new report benchmarking the health of seniors in America finds poorer health outcomes for rural senior citizens compared with their urban and suburban peers and increased national suicide rates. An analysis within the report also highlights the risk of social isolation and its association with poor health for seniors.

Drug overdoses are the leading cause of injury deaths in the United States1 Drug overdoses are the leading cause of injury deaths in the United States. Over 63,900 individuals died from drug overdoses in 2016, an increase of more than 11,500 deaths from 2015. More than six out of 10 drug deaths involve an opioid, primarily prescription pain relievers (morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone) or heroin.

In Focus: Infant Mortality in Ohio Despite significant progress in reducing infant mortality in the United States, more than 23,000 infants died in the United States in 2015. Congenital birth defects and anomalies, low birth weight, preterm birth, and maternal complications account for nearly half of all infant deaths, but several other factors are associated

In Focus: Reducing cancer deaths in Louisiana Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States, with about one in four Americans at risk of dying from cancer.1,2 More than 1.6 million new cases of cancer and nearly 595,000 cancer deaths occur annually, with direct medical costs from cancer totaling over $87 billion