Americans’ Still in Love with SSBs
The National Center for Health Statistics released consumption data (2011-2014) showing almost one-half of U.S. adults drink at least one sugar-sweetened beverage every day. Young adults have the highest average intake compared to older adults. Learn more and view the startling statistics by clicking on this link. PositiveTip: The healthiest drink for most people is…
Read MoreU.S. Dietary Report Card
Americans are eating significantly more whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes, as well as fruit, according to an analysis of NHANES data from 1999-2012. Consumption of 100% fruit juice and sugar-sweetened beverages decreased as well. However, vegetable intake did not change. The good news: diets rated as ideal increased from 0.7% to 1.5%. The not-so-good…
Read MoreReport Card on Obesity
Efforts to reduce obesity rates in the U.S. appear to be working. During the past year obesity rates remained steady in all but one state, Arkansas. This is good news, as rates have been climbing for the past 30 years. Obesity remains very high though, and the nation's future health depends on further reductions. PositiveTip:…
Read MoreReport Card: Fewer Now Smoking
Only 18% of U.S. adults now identify themselves as smokers according to the National Health Interview Survey 2012. This is down a full percentage point since last year, and down from almost 25% in 1997. Smoking related deaths still take a big toll, but if smoking prevalence continues to drop, even this will improve over…
Read MorePeople Living Longer, but Living Sicker
Americans may live longer thanks to the availability of advanced medical care, but the proliferation of chronic diseases and preventable problems lowers the quality of life. Almost 10% of the population has diabetes, 27.8% are obese, and 30.8% are diagnosed with hypertension. A fascinating fact in this report is that low-risk people over 50 cost…
Read MoreHealth, United States, 2011
We know our readers are interested in health and life choices. You may be interested in the report card released each year by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control on the health of the nation. In Brief provides a summary of the larger report in text, tables, and graphs. For those who are more data-obsessed,…
Read MoreWaistlines Expand in the USA
A new study reveals that among high-income countries, the USA has experienced the fastest growth in body mass index (BMI) between 1980 and 2008. It also had the highest average BMI in 2008: 28.5 for men and 28.3 for women. Only Nauru in Oceania exceeded this with BMIs of 33.9 and 35 respectively. PositiveTip: Let's move…
Read MoreTop Five Causes of Death in the U.S. for 2008
Preliminary data from the US Centers for Disease Control indicates that stroke has slipped to the 4th leading cause of U.S. deaths in 2008. The top five causes of death in the U.S. are:Heart diseaseCancerChronic lower respiratory diseasesStrokeAccidentsThe reduction of stroke deaths is due in part to improved prevention along with greater use of medications…
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