ATLANTA, Feb 18, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Young U.S. adults face obesity, high
injury rates and lack of insurance coverage compared with older adults, health
officials said.
"Health, United States: 2008" is the 32nd annual edition of the report prepared
by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health
Statistics. It includes a compilation of health data from a number of sources
within the federal government and in the private sector.
This edition features a special section on adults ages 18-29, a group making
many life choices that will affect both their future economic and health status.
Those decisions decisions range from education to marriage and childbearing to
health behaviors such as tobacco and alcohol use.
The report also said:
-- Obesity rates have risen from 8 percent in 1971-1974 to 24 percent in
2005-2006.
-- In 2006, 29 percent of young men were cigarette smokers, compared with 21
percent of young adult women.
-- In 2005, unintentional injuries or accidents, homicide and suicide accounted
for 70 percent of deaths among young adults ages 18-29.
-- In 2006, 34 percent of adults ages 20-24 had no health insurance and 29
percent of adults ages 25-29 lacked health insurance.
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