DHHS Report Shows Progress in Disease Prevention & Health

According to a progress report of its Healthy People 2020 initiative, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) says the nation's health is improving in more than half of the critical measures that influence healthy lifestyles. Healthy People 2020 is the nation's current 10-year goals and objectives for health promotion and disease prevention.

According to DHHS, 26 leading health indicators (LHI) were identified as high priority issues (e.g., tobacco use, nutrition, child health, physical activity). "The LHI are intended to motivate action to improve the health of the whole population," says Assistant Secretary for Health Howard Koh. "Today's LHI progress report shows that we are doing just that."

DHHS says that 14 of the LHI have been either met or are improving:

• Fewer adults are smoking cigarettes;
• Fewer children are exposed to secondhand smoke;
• More adults are meeting physical activity targets;
• Fewer adolescents are using alcohol or illicit drugs.

Visit the DHHS web page to read the complete progress report.