U.S. Health Habits Improving, But Uphill Climb Remains

I’ll admit it. I need to adapt a healthier lifestyle. You can see the extra pounds I’m carrying –  all from sitting behind a desk or in front of a TV too long, not exercising enough, and eating too much junk food.

It appears however, that I’m not alone. Here’s just a portion of a Galllup News report written by Elizabeth Mendes:

According to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index (WBI), the health habits of many Americans are improving during this new year, but there’s still a long way to go. The WBI’s Healthy Behavior sub-index, an in-depth measure of Americans’ exercise, eating, and smoking habits, rose to 61.2 in January; a slight reversal of the sharp decline that occurred at the end of 2008. Even with this uptick, the healthy behavior score is still considerably lower than the 63.3 recorded last January.

The Healthy Behavior sub-index score includes four questions that look individually at smoking, healthy eating, weekly consumption of fruits and vegetables, and weekly exercise frequency. In reviewing the trend for each individual item, Dr. Jim Harter, Gallup Chief Scientist for Workplace Management and Well-Being, reports that the movement in the overall Healthy Behavior Index score “is pretty clearly reflected in the eating healthy and exercise items,” and that “the smoking rate has not changed much.” There may also be a seasonal effect related to the holidays and New Year’s resolutions. At the same time, the year to year decline from January 2008 to January 2009 suggests the stress and financial strain of the recession may also be taking a toll on Americans’ health.