The CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics has released its annual report, titled Health, United States, 2009. It is free for the download in two versions: Full (600 pages) and Brief (15 pages). Among the interesting findings,
- The percentage of American adults who are obese has doubled over the past three decades to about one-third of all adults.
- Progress in reducing tobacco use has slowed.
- The gap in life expectancy at birth between white persons and black persons persists but has narrowed since 1990.
- Personal health care expenditures paid by Medicaid have increased on average 9% 700 per year, Medicare 8% per year, private health insurance 7% per year, and out-of- pocket payments 4% per year since 1990.
PositiveTip: The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” still holds true!