llinois ranked 27th in the Nation for Overall Health

A study released in November, America’s Health Rankings: A Call to Action for People and Their Communities, ranks the overall health of each state. The 18th annual report places Illinois at 27th in the nation, which is two places lower than in 2006.

The report was sponsored by United Health Foundation, an independent and not-for-profit foundation funded by United Health Group, and the American Pubic Health Association, an organization of public health professionals from around the world. Vermont tops the 2007 list, with Minnesota, Hawaii, New Hampshire, and Connecticut rounding out the top five. The bottom five includes Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, respectively.

The study ranks states based on numerous factors, including the prevalence of smoking, binge drinking, and obesity; and the number of poor mental and physical health days.

The study ranks Illinois 27th in the nation in prevalence of smoking, with 20.5% of the population who are at least 18 and smoke on a regular basis.

Illinois is ranked 47 with 19.5% of the population age 18 and over participating in binge drinking. Binge drinking is defined as consuming at least five drinks for a male and four for a female in one sitting.

Both the prevalence of smoking and binge drinking give an indication of the amount of drug and alcohol use in the population, as well as the presence of addictive behaviors.

With a ranking of 24th in the nation, 25.1% of the population of Illinois is obese, which is having a body mass index of 30 or higher. Obesity contributes to heart disease, diabetes, and various other diseases.

The study also looks at a population’s number of poor mental health days. A poor mental health day, as defined by the study, is when daily activities are limited due to a person’s mental health difficulties. Illinois has the 13th highest number of poor mental health days in the country, with 3% of the population experiencing such difficulties each month.

Similarly, poor physical health days are days when a person’s ability to perform daily activities are limited due to physical health difficulties. The study ranks Illinois 17, and 3.3% of residents experience poor physical health each month. Both of these are general indicators of a population’s ability to function on a day-to-day basis.

Despite all the above issues, there have not been any significant decreases in the health of Illinois in the past year; however, there also have not been any significant increases. As it turns out, the nation as a whole is remaining stagnant in health improvements. Between 1990 and 2000, the health of the nation increased an average of 1.5% annually, but since 2000 there has not been any nationwide improvement. In fact, the average health of the nation decreased by 0.3% since last year.

The health community constantly reminds us of this dismal news with reports of our declining health and increasing waistlines. Many people may be trying to become healthier and have specific health goals but are having trouble making the changes. When taking steps to live a healthier life, it is important to remember to make any health-related goal realistic and possible. Trying to attain an impossible goal will ultimately lead to surrender, which only makes it harder to set another goal.

The next step to leading a healthy lifestyle is to eat right and get plenty of exercise. This step may seem obvious, but with the popularity of crash diets and fad weight-loss drugs, many people lose sight of the fact that becoming healthy requires changes that need to last a lifetime.

The food pyramid is a list of recommendations from the Department of Agriculture aimed at cultivating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and is aimed at the general public over age two. Those with chronic health conditions may need a more appropriate diet and should consult a health provider.

According to the food pyramid, a healthy diet is rich in fruits and vegetables. An average person should consume approximately two cups of fruits and vegetables in a day, along with three cups of calcium-rich foods (like non-fat or low-fat dairy products). Additionally, it is recommended to eat whole grains, as opposed to processed or white grains. Protein is also an important part of a healthy diet and should include lean meats and poultry, fish, beans, and nuts.

Alcohol should be avoided since it contains a lot of calories with little or no health benefit, but f you choose to drink alcohol, limit it to one drink a day for women and two drinks for men. One drink counts as 12 oz of beer, 5 oz of wine, or 1.5 oz of liquor.

A common problem with weight loss and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is portion control. Many of us are not fully aware of portion sizes. For example, an entire bagel may contain five or more ounces of grain, which may equal the recommended amount in a day. A good trick to maintaining portion control is to use smaller plates, bowls, and glasses. Also, it’s a good idea to measure out food beforehand to gauge how large a serving should be.

The exact amount of food and calories a person should consume depends on various factors, like age, weight, and amount of physical activity. The standard measurement is approximately 2,000 calories per day but it may be more or less, depending on the individual.

A healthy lifestyle is not only what a person eats but also how much physical activity is present. At a minimum, one should strive towards doing moderate exercise for 30 minutes at least three days a week; however, 60-90 minutes of exercise every day is recommended to lose weight or maintain weight loss. Moderate exercise is any type of activity where the breath and heartbeat quicken slightly, like what one experiences during a brisk walk. For the average person, moderate exercise is walking three miles in approximately 30 minutes.

Daily exercise not only helps with weight loss and maintenance, it also improves self-esteem, flexibility, and posture; helps build muscle and strong bones; and decreases feelings of stress and anxiety.

Most people should be able to start a moderate exercise program without seeing a doctor, but if you are hesitant or have any medical problems, please see your health care provider.

With the stress of everyday life, many of us do not feel there is enough time to exercise daily. A day’s worth of physical activity can be done all at once or can be divided up into smaller increments throughout the day, as long as each session is at least ten minutes. Incorporating exercise into daily life does not have to be expensive or time consuming as taking a class or going to the gym; it can be as easy as walking during lunchtime, playing with kids, walking the dog, washing a car, cleaning the house, or using a treadmill or stationary bike while watching TV.

It is important to remember that exercise does not give anyone the excuse to eat excessively. While an increase in physical activity may allow an increase in calorie intake to prevent unwanted weight loss, do not go overboard with calories or an unhealthy diet.

Visit www.mypyramid.gov to learn more about healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle. The site has resources to build a personalized My Pyramid Plan outlining what and how much to eat based on age, weight, and activity level.