Tennessee Ranked Below National Average On Overall Health Scores

Tennessee Finished Below The National Average In a New Ranking By The United Health Foundation that Examines Public Health Challenges And Progress That Occurred Just Before The Onset Of The COVID-19 Pandemic. 

Photo: University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville

Photo Credit: CC

Published March 9, 2021

The Center Square-

The America’s Health Rankings Annual Report found that the state ranked 44th in health outcomes, such as obesity prevalence and suicide rates.

Unlike in previous years, the report does not assign overall rankings to states. Instead, it offers multiple rankings for the 50 states in the categories of social and economic factors, such as education attainment; physical environment, including air and water quality; clinical care options; behaviors such as tobacco use and physical activity; and the health outcomes.

Nationwide, the obesity rate for adults has risen 15% from 2011 to 2019, the analysis found. And the suicide rate rose 23% between 2009 and 2018, according to the study.

But the share of U.S. adults suffering from multiple chronic conditions dropped from 10.3% in 2018 to 9.5 percent in 2019.

Researchers anticipate that the coronavirus pandemic will affect nearly every health and economic category monitored in the analysis when the 2020 data is available.

2019 Health-Related Data by State: