Colorado and Utah earned second and third place respectively, followed by Minnesota. Italy. The United States may not be the best place to be a senior citizen. Overall, the Okinawan diet is a low-calorie, high-carbohydrate diet with medium consumption of protein and very little meat, refined grains, sugar and dairy. As the population of American seniors continues to climb, the country's medical community confronts new opportunities and challenges related to their care. “In other words, someone trying to follow the Okinawan diet may have a hard time finding the plentiful fish and native vegetables in a landlocked state, but can generally adapt the principles of a diet rich in green, leafy vegetables and lean protein.”. Hawaii tops the list as the state with the healthiest seniors, while Mississippi is last, facing challenges of poverty and early deaths. All rights reserved. This tip sheet looks at other innovations in Medicare programs to improve quality and reduce costs; This article from The New York Times looks at health care systems around the world. Additionally, rates of obesity and diabetes have recently spiked throughout much of the region, likely contributing to poor health among seniors. The 15 Most Common Health Concerns for Seniors. It is believed that as a result of their conscious and conscientious eating habits, Okinawans have been able to avoid the choric diseases commonly associated with aging like Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and cardiovascular disease. This lower calorie intake not only leads to their consistently lower Body Mass Index or BMI, but also to their remarkable health and long life spans. © 2019 NewsmaxHealth. Indeed, our data suggest a general correlation between seniors' health and their physical activity by state. When older Americans can talk openly about their difficulties and collaborate with loved ones to produce solutions, their chances of achieving happy living are far better – whichever health challenges they face. © 2018 | TotalPatriot.com | All Rights Reserved, Both Low-Cal Vegetarian and Mediterranean Diets Good for Heart: Studies, ‘Healthy’ Diet That Increases Heart Failure Rate Revealed, Healthy Diet Doesn’t Neutralize High Salt Intake: Study. Stacker ranked the states measuring the health of its seniors, as calculated by America’s Health Rankings’ 2019 Senior Report. Several of these top-ranked states boast enviable health statisticsfor all age groups, so the well-being of their seniors could result from long-stan… Arthritis was also less common in states such as Hawaii and California, with more than half of seniors reporting they had no arthritis. In Birmingham, Alabama, the city has the most affordable housing, health care, and transportation costs. In this project, we studied the health of seniors in each state, using data sourced from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Keep reading to find out. Which states can claim the healthiest seniors? While genetics play a large role in long-term health outcomes, environmental factors and attitudes may contribute just as much to staying in great shape well past one's 60s. Reuters.com brings you the latest news from around the world, covering breaking news in markets, business, politics, entertainment, technology, video and pictures. Grapefruit is one of the healthiest citrus fruits. In other words, seniors may already possess the keys to healthy aging, although they may not know it. “The important thing to remember is that we can adapt the underlying principles of another culture’s cuisine to our own regional diet,” she says. This ranking of states is based on the health of their seniors, across a range of measures, from obesity to excessive drinking to smoking habits and rates of poverty. Feel free to share our graphics and data with your own audience for noncommercial purposes. Three additional Asian nations were among the top 10 in 2019: South Korea (second place), Japan (third), and Thailand (sixth). We collected public data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a "system of health-related telephone surveys that collect state data about U.S. residents regarding their health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and use of preventive services." Maybe it’s something in the gazpacho or paella, as Spain just surpassed Italy to become the world’s healthiest country. Yet in states as disparate as North Dakota and New York, 9 in 10 seniors did not report depression – demonstrating deep sadness need not be a part of growing older. This ranking of states is based on the health of their seniors, across a range of measures, from obesity to excessive drinking to smoking habits and rates of poverty. Americans also consume higher amounts of calories than Okinawans who honor a tradition to stop eating when they are 80 percent full. If you're concerned about the health of an aging loved one, or worried about protecting your own well-being as you grow older, activity and engagement with others should be top priorities. Nebraska came in as the fifth-healthiest state for seniors in part by ranking in the top 14 for environment, community well-being and cost of living. Okinawa is a group of islands just south of mainland Japan and is known as “the land of immortals.” Residents not only have one of the longest lifespans and number of centenarians in the world, two-thirds of those who live to be 100 are still living independently at the age of 97. Visitor: I really enjoy … In several states, seniors are an overwhelmingly healthy lot, with at least 80 percent of those aged 65 and older rating their health "good" or better. Okinawans, according to studies, also have low rates of heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. It’s called hara hachi bu and is a cultural practice which roughly translates to “eat until you are 8 parts full.” Okinawans consume approximately 1,800 to 1,900 calories daily which is several hundred calories less than what is prescribed for the average North American. It produces hemoglobin which carries oxygen … It has. Taiwan has the best health care systems in the world, that’s according to the 2019 edition of the CEOWORLD magazine Health Care Index, which ranks 89 countries according to factors that contribute to overall health. The Strategy and Action Plan draws on the evidence of the World report on ageing and health and builds on existing activities to address 5 priority areas for action. Get the latest public health information from CDC » … It would cost a senior an estimated $33,219 to live comfortably in retirement in this Southern city. Life Expectancy: 81.95 (2013 EST.) But … Irvine. Check out this recap of Independence at Home and other programs to keep seniors healthier at home from this Health Journalism 2017 panel. The 65.8 of "quality" nursing-home beds is second in the country, and the 97% of seniors who have a dedicated health care provider is first. With high volunteerism, a strong local economy, incredible parks and of course the Mayo Clinic, ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the nation’s top medical center, just a short drive away, the Twin Cities have won the best place for aging well in the United States. Some factors are clearly integral to keeping seniors healthy, such as rates of obesity mentioned above (Hawaii, Washington, D.C., and Colorado are top ranked on this measure). In fact, according to the World Economic Forum's 2013 Human Capital Report, Switzerland invests more in the health, education and talent of its people than any other country in the world. The number of individuals aged 65 and older is projected to double in the coming decades, reaching over 98 million by 2060. Search Term Field. Nearly 6 in 10 adults aged 65 and older have hypertension, almost half have high cholesterol, and more than a quarter have been diagnosed with diabetes. Data analyzed was reported from 2011 to 2016 (the most recent reports as of May 2018, with new reports scheduled for release sometime around the new year). It also lacks fiber. Whitney Linsenmeyer, a spokesperson for the U.S. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says that people don’t have to completely switch over to the Okinawan diet to reap the benefits. Their lifestyle plan also includes the occasional glass of locally brewed brandy and plenty of physical activity. 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