Hoosiers smoke too much, have high rates of obesity and breath dirtier air than residents in other states.
But on the plus side, a high percentage of teens graduate high school, binge drinking is low and we rarely get salmonella poisoning.
Overall, Indiana needs a prescription for better health, as the state ranked 41st in the annual United Health Foundation health rankings.
The rankings have been done by the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based nonprofit foundation of insurer UnitedHealth Group for 26 years, and Indiana slowly has been trending down toward the bottom of healthiest states since 1990. The state was ranked 26th healthiest in 1991, but has flatlined at No. 41 since 2012.
Indiana scored negatively in seven out of eight areas most heavily weighed in the ranking, with the state’s prevalence of smokers being the single biggest factor dragging it down. Obesity, physical inactivity, drug deaths, occupational fatalities, infectious disease and the number of children in poverty also were negative factors.
In areas having less of an impact on Indiana’s score, the state was negatively affected by air pollution, access to dentists, deaths from cancer and cardiovascular causes, diabetes and infant mortality.
Indiana finished in the top 10 or better in only three of more than 60 ranked categories: meningitis immunizations (10th); salmonella infections per 100,000 people (ninth); and high school graduation rate (eighth).
The study does note that in the past year adults are becoming more active, infant mortality is decreasing and preventable hospitalizations are also declining. But the percentage of children in poverty increased to 23.3 percent, and violent crime has gone up 9 percent since 1990.
“We look forward to using this year’s report to continue identifying best practices that address Indiana’s most pressing health challenges and encourage our residents to lead the healthiest lives possible,” said Dr. Julie Daftari, medical director for UnitedHealthcare of Indiana, in a Thursday news release accompanying the rankings.
The percentage of Hoosiers who smoke was one of Indiana’s worst scores — 44th in the nation — and hasn’t changed much since 1991, typically falling somewhere between 21 and 28 percent of adults. It was 22.9 percent in 2015, according to the study results.
Smoking is a major health issue because it causes and worsens chronic diseases, and chronic diseases are responsible for a significant portion of health care costs, said Jill Ostrem, Parkview Health’s senior vice president for health and well-being.
“We would love to see those rates drop more. Our approach at Parkview is through our individual physician practices, where assessing smoking is part of every visit, and we identify when people are ready to quit smoking and take advantage of that whenever we can,” Ostrem said.
Obesity is the other major health issue facing Indiana. About 33 percent of Hoosier adults are obese, and about 25 percent of residents reported they had not participated in any physical activity such as walking, running or sports within the last 30 days, according to the United Health Foundation study.
Health providers are trying to attack obesity in multiple ways, including doctors encouraging people to become more active; targeting children early with information about healthy eating and exercise; and encouraging farmers markets, pop-up food stands or healthy cooking classes, Ostrem said.
“Food deserts” — areas where people don’t have easy access to healthy food — are a problem in Fort Wayne and across the region. The widespread availability of fast food also presents a challenge in getting people to eat healthier, Ostrem said.
The United Health Foundation study shows the obesity rate in Indiana has been steadily increasing since the 1990s, and that low-income residents are more likely to be obese.
Drastic changes to improve one’s health may sound great, but they’re harder to stick to, so Ostrem encourages people to make smaller changes, one at a time, as a way toward adopting a healthier lifestyle.
For example, swap out one soda per day for a glass of water; find time to walk for 20 or 30 minutes a day; or resist the urge to chow down empty calories from fast food for a healthier meal.
Making gradual changes is easier and add up in the long run, but they can also lead to more dramatic changes if the person starts feeling better from living healthier, Ostrem said.
Taking preventative action when you’re younger is also a good way to be healthier when you’re older. Addressing weight, high blood pressure or cholesterol early can prevent you from developing chronic problems, like heart disease or diabetes, later in life, she said.
“We really encourage people to know where you stand, and know your numbers and learn what you can do. It does feel daunting sometimes, but the steps you can take are not that hard one at a time. It’s about having people connect with what motivates you,” Ostrem said.