Health Rankings
Health Rankings
Usually when we shout “We’re #1”, it’s a good thing. Well the state of Kentucky is #1 again, Ranked #1 in cancer occurrences and tobacco use. Ranked #2 in Obesity, with 67.4% of our adults being overweight or obese. Kentucky is ranked #7 in unhealthiness. Whitley County, where we propose to conduct this project ranks, 21st of Kentucky’s 120 counties.
Two factors seem to drive unhealthy people in the United States, poverty and obesity. These are not exclusive of each other. Impoverished people tend to eat low cost fatty foods high in processed sugars and sodium. This diet along with minimal exercise is the recipe for obesity.
The surgeon general has said that ‘America’s Obesity epidemic will dwarf the threat of terrorism if the nation does not reduce the number of people who are severely overweight’. Obesity brings a high rate of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 Diabetes.
Why should we be concerned with this information? The cost of obesity to the health care system in the United States is estimated at $147 billion per year. Kentucky spends more than $1 billion on obesity related illness every year. Statistics say many Kentuckians lives will be cut short.
Video Clip:Health Rankings