The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released a new five-year plan aimed at improving the health of rural Americans.
A CDC study found that in about half of the states, including Michigan, there are higher levels of obesity, chronic illness, and substance abuse. The report says the health problems of rural Americans have been largely understudied and underfunded.
Alan Morgan, with the National Rural Health Association, says it’s a start in addressing rural versus urban disparities in health care.
“The first step to solving a problem is recognizing that you have a problem. It shows the commitment of CDC towards rural communities and their willingness to make sure It shows the commitment of CDC towards rural communities and their willingness to make sure that rural communities are as adequately prepared as urban communities.
Population data from 2023 shows that in 23 states, more than one in three adults has obesity, up significantly from 2013. States in the Midwest had the highest prevalence of obesity. Michigan ranked 21th in the country with a rate of 35.4%.
