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NJ Ranks 11th in Overall Health According to 2015 America’s Health Rankings

On Dec 11, 2015

In the country’s annual health checkup, New Jersey ranks 11th this year when compared with other states – according to United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings® Annual Report.

The report’s national data show that in 2015, Americans are making meaningful progress on key health metrics including smoking less and leading less sedentary lives, but rising rates of drug deaths – including deaths from illegal drug use and prescription drug abuse – obesity, diabetes and children in poverty signal serious challenges ahead. United Health Foundation produces the America’s Health Rankings Annual Report to provide actionable, data-driven insights that stakeholders can use to effect change in a state or nationally.

New Jersey’s Overall Health

The 2015 America’s Health Rankings Annual Report finds New Jersey has a combination of strengths and challenges.

New Jersey’s Strengths

  • On average, rates of key infectious diseases such as Chlamydia, Pertussis and Salmonella in New Jersey are the second lowest in the country.
  • Infant mortality rates in New Jersey are the third lowest in the U.S., with only 4.5 deaths per 1,000 live births.
  • Rates of physical inactivity have dropped from 26.8 percent of adults to 23.3 percent of adults, which indicates that more adults are making an effort to exercise.
  • New Jersey has the most dentists per capita in the United States, which makes it easier for people to seek dental care.
  • More than 87 percent of New Jersey students graduate high school, the fifth highest rate in the nation.

New Jersey’s Challenges

  • While New Jersey has lower rates of obesity and diabetes than most other states, rates of both conditions continue to climb. This year, the rate of obesity rose to 26.9 percent of adults, and 9.7 percent of adults report having diabetes.
  • New Jersey ranks 40th for childhood vaccinations – a significant drop from recent years. In the state, only 67.2 percent of children ages 19 to 35 months receive the recommended vaccinations.
  • In the past two years, drug deaths increased 90 percent from 6.9 to 13.1 per 100,000 people.

“Some of the key findings in America’s Health Rankings show that New Jersey is getting better at delivering health services that address key issues, including dental care, infectious disease and infant mortality,” said Dr. Anju Sikka, medical director, UnitedHealthcare of New Jersey. “But troubling statistics like the steady rise in rates of obesity and diabetes indicate that we’re not doing a good job at practicing healthy behaviors in our everyday lives. From support for health education to apps that help people manage their health, UnitedHealthcare is working to help people take important steps necessary for a healthy lifestyle.”

“This year’s America’s Health Rankings Annual Report reveals many encouraging gains in our nation’s health while showing clearly there is much more we as a country must do to maximize our health potential,” said Reed Tuckson, MD, external senior medical adviser to United Health Foundation. “This report is a call to action to make disease prevention a key component of our culture. We want to ensure everybody – no matter what state they call home – is empowered to make healthy decisions for themselves, their families and their communities.”

To see the national and state rankings in detail, visit www.americashealthrankings.org.