Highlights of a new report from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)

Healthy People 2000 Review, 1994

For Release July 31, 1995

Healthy People 2000 Review, 1994, is the latest report on the Nation's progress in reaching -- by the year 2000 -- the more than 300 separate objectives designed to prevent disease and promote good health in America.

The report by the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shows considerable progress in many areas -- 8 percent of the goals were met and progress made in another 41 percent. However, for 16 percent of the objectives there was movement away from the goal; for 7 percent, mixed results or no change; and for the rest, data are not yet available to measure change. Most of the comparisons cover the time period 1987 (baseline) to 1993.

Data highlights

• There is a slight increase in the number of adults who exercise either moderately or vigorously on a regular basis. The number of worksites offering employer-sponsored physical activity and fitness programs has increased substantially. Still, almost one in four American adults report a sedentary lifestyle in the latest survey.
• Smoking continues to decline among adults. There has been an increase in the number of States restricting or regulating smoking. On the rise for many years, the death rate for lung cancer declined in 1991 for the first time in at least 50 years and dropped again in 1992. Provisional data indicate the decline could have continued in 1993.
• Alcohol-related motor vehicle crash death rates have declined markedly in the past few years, and the year 2000 goal has been surpassed in part due to license revocation laws passed in 37 States. Forty-eight States have passed mandatory seatbelt laws and two out of three adults now use seatbelts.
• Overall, occupational mortality is down slightly, but work-related injuries have increased. Cumulative trauma disorders -- a third of which were attributable to carpal tunnel syndrome -- increased almost four-fold from 1987 to 1992. The rate of injuries related to repetitive trauma was highest for meat product workers (1 in 10) where the rate more than doubled between 1987 and 1992.
• Suicide is a leading cause of death among teenagers aged 15-19 years. The suicide rate has remained stable over the past few years, but suicide attempts among teenagers are up.
• By 1993 just over 10 percent of homes in America were tested for radon, short of the year 2000 objective of 40 percent but double the proportion in 1987. The proportion of people living in counties that meet standards for such air pollutants as ozone, carbon monoxide, and lead has gone from approximately 50 to 75 percent.
• Recent data indicate progress toward achievement of oral health objectives. The prevalence of dental caries (cavities) among adolescents has declined. Complete tooth loss is becoming less common in older adults. Dental visits are up and so is the proportion of children who have protective sealants.
• Heart disease and stroke is a priority area in Healthy People 2000. Mortality due to heart disease and stroke are down in the population as a whole as well as among black people. However, mortality for both causes is higher for black people and has declined more slowly, increasing the disparity.
• A number of risk factors for heart disease and stroke have shown improvement -- decline in cholesterol levels, smoking and intake of dietary fat. Americans are more likely to know and take action to control their blood pressure levels. However, overweight has increased substantially. One in three American adults is overweight, up from one in four. Overweight among adolescents increased from 15 to 21 percent over the past decade.
• The 1992 death rate for colorectal cancer equaled the year 2000 target. Breast cancer death rates are down and substantial progress shows an increase in the number of women receiving mammograms. The proportion of women aged 50 years and over who had received a clinical breast exam and a mammogram within the preceding 1 to 2 years rose from 25 to 55 percent from 1986 to 1993, nearing the year 2000 target of 60 percent.

For more information about this report, please contact NCHS, Public Affairs Office at (301) 458-4800 or via e-mail at: paoquery@cdc.gov.

Healthy People 2000 Review, 1994. 149 pp. (PHS) 95-1258-1 [PDF - 1 MB]