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The annual survey, America’s Health Rankings 2007, that rates each of the 50 states in the United States reveals some interesting and sometimes concerning facts regarding the health of our people and our nation as a whole. The 2007 edition of this report shows that Vermont tops the list and is the healthiest state, followed by Minnesota. Missisippi is at the bottom and thus the least healthy state. “This year, the United States experienced the highest life expectancy in its history – a baby born today can expect to live for 77.9 years as compared to a life expectancy of 75.4 years in 1990.”

The survey uses a combined score of health indicators and policy questions to rank all 50 states. Some of the factors used in determining the ranking of a state are obesity rates, tobacco and alcohol use, high school graduation rates, state laws and regulations promoting better health, etc. The survey also considers access to health services and environmental issues like pollution, infectious disease rates, crime, etc.

“As a nation, the health score this year went down compared to last year by three tenths of a percent.” So the health of our people has deteriorated slightly compared to last year. It is interesting to ponder about possible causes for this decline. Could it be the aging population in the country? If that is the case, we can speculate that this annual report would show declining health in the coming years. Also, “Ten in 1,000 children born in the states die before their first birthday.”

The findings in the report  are rather concerning when you compare these results to the health of other countries. “The U.S. Census Bureau indicates that 43 countries have life expectancies that exceed the United States, and 40 countries have a lower infant mortality rate than the United States.”

“The United States have a higher mortality rate compared to seven other developed countries (Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Japan, Spain and the United Kingdom) for ischemic heart disease; trachea, bronchitis and lung cancer; and diabetes mellitus; but additionally, the U.S. is higher than six of these seven countries for unintentional injuries, intentional injuries and neuropsychiatric conditions. The United States ranks second for a lower death rate due to colon and rectum cancers, and it ranks third among eight for a low rate of cerebrovascular disease.”

What can we do as a nation and its people, to stop the decline in our overall health and actually improve our health? Here is what the editors say in the foreword…

“In light of the findings presented on the following pages, the report’s subtitle, A Call to Action for People and Their Communities, takes on more meaning than ever due to the necessity for urgent action. An immediate and more vigorous public discourse is needed to prioritize the resources necessary to achieve optimal health and well being. And all of us-as individuals, members of families, participants in community life, health professionals and political and policy leaders-need to intensify our efforts toward a healthier America. ”

You can access the entire report here (America’s Health Rankings 2007). It lists the rankings for each individual state and other detailed information including a comparison with other countries, etc. But we owe it to ourselves to take those right steps and to force our government into taking action to improve our overall health and well-being.