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Biggest Health Risks in America

In 2004, CNN News reported that America was improving its health; however, health risks were still growing. The article explained that the United Health Foundation had been tracking the nation's health for the past 15 years. The foundation discovered that although the country's health had improved, there were still many health risks in America.

  1. Heart Disease

    • According to the Centers for Disease Control, the top leading cause of death in the United States continues to be heart disease. Some of the most common risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and physical inactivity.

    Cancer

    • The second biggest health risk in the United States is cancer. According to the Cancer Prevention Coalition, lifetime cancer risk in America is now approaching one in two for men and one in three for women.

    Obesity

    • A very large health risk in the United States is obesity. Obesity is an epidemic that contributes to a variety of health problems including strokes and Type II diabetes. If weight gain continues at its present rate, nearly half of the US population will be obese in the next few years. The World Health Organization claims that obesity is one of the biggest health risks in the world and the problem is not just confined to the United States.

    Considerations

    • Sexually transmitted diseases are another problem that pose a large health risk to the US population. Diseases like chlamydia and gonorrhea often go undiagnosed and can cause lifelong infertility. This problem poses a larger risk to women and adolescents.

    Geography

    • According to CNN, the healthiest states in the country are New Hampshire and Vermont. Other states that are considered very healthy include Utah, Hawaii and Massachusetts. States that consistently rank at the bottom are southern states. For example, Mississippi and Louisiana consistently rank low.

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