A new report on the nation’s health says Michigan is taking a few steps forward and a few backward.
This is the 26th year the United Health Foundation has released its America’s Health Rankings report. Michigan’s place on the rankings didn’t change much. The state moved from 34th to 35th on the list this year.
The Foundation’s Rhonda Randall says like other states, Michigan is continues to struggle with a rising obesity rate.
“We’re really concerned that it is going to overtake smoking as the No. 1 cause of preventable illness in our country,” says Randall.
But Randall says the study also finds more people are trying to exercise.
“The fact that we have less people who are couch potatoes this year than the prior year is very encouraging,” says Randall.
The report finds Michigan continues to have other health problems, including drug-related deaths and children living in poverty.
