Outcomes, Hospitalizations, SDOH, and Funding Opportunities

The 18th annual report by Trust for America’s Health on the obesity crisis in the United States has been released.

This year, special features highlight the interaction of the COVID-19 pandemic with social, economic, and environmental conditions that impact hospitalizations, social determinants of health (SDOH), and outcomes.

A March 2021 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study of 148,000 adults found an association between BMI and hospitalization, ICU admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, and death. For all of these outcomes, there are progressively higher risks with higher BMI.

Another recent study from the Journal of the American Heart Association estimated 30 percent of the adult COVID19 hospitalizations through November 2020 were attributable to obesity, and obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and heart failure were together attributable for 64 percent of hospitalizations.

In this report are insights on:

  • social determinants of health,
  • state obesity rates,
  • obesity-related data and trends,
  • related health indicators by state,
  • obesity-related policies and healthcare programs,
  • funding programs available through the CDC, and
  • future recommendations.