Obesity and inactivity rates in the U.S. are on the rise, despite the fact that Americans have improved in other key health categories.
In the 25th Anniversary Edition of America's Health Rankings® obesity and inactivity increased in 2014 after it had appeared to be heading in the right direction the year before, a news release stated.
The obesity rate increased from 27.6 percent to 29.4 percent in adults and the rate of those who had not participated in physical activity jumped from 22.9 percent to 23.5 percent.
"We applaud hard-won advances in several key measures, including smoking prevalence, even as this year's America's Health Rankings is a solemn reminder that we have a lot more work ahead of us," said Reed Tuckson, M.D., senior medical adviser to United Health Foundation. "It is inevitable that increases in the rates of obesity and physical inactivity will result in more people suffering from significant chronic diseases that compromise the quality of their lives, adversely affect their families and are unaffordable for the nation."
In the survey Hawaii was found to be the healthiest state with Vermont coming in at a close second; Massachusetts moved to third after maintaining the fourth ranking for two years. Alternatively, Mississippi was ranked 50th this year, preceded by Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky and Oklahoma. West Virginia and Alabama succeeded in moving themselves out of the bottom five ranks.
Since its launch in 1990, the America's Health Rankings report have helped monitor health trends in the U.S in hopes of improving general well-being.
"The last 25 years point to significant progressions in health, particularly in the length of American lives," said Georges Benjamin, M.D., executive director of the American Public Health Association. "Twenty-five years from now, I hope we are celebrating meaningful improvement in quality of life for Americans everywhere."
