Around 35% of Georgia’s adults are obese. More than 28,000 people in the Peach State die of cardiovascular disease every year. Around 12.4% of the population has been diagnosed with diabetes, and an additional 230,000 are thought to be undiagnosed. These are just some of the concerning facts that have influenced Atlanta’s placement as the 14th least healthy populous city in the nation, according to Forbes’ latest rankings.

“In some cities, the rate of chronic disease tends to be higher due to unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as smoking, binge drinking and a lack of physical activity,” Forbes’ Meera Pal reported. “Analyses suggest that income level, education and even commuting patterns may influence why some cities are healthier than others. For example, metro areas with higher incomes tend to have lower levels of people who smoke and have obesity; cities where people drive to work alone are more likely to have more people with obesity.”

Forbes compared health statistics for the 46 most populated cities in the United States across eight metrics, including total heart disease deaths, opioid overdose deaths and number of adults with obesity.

Detroit ranked as the least healthy city, outpacing every other city population for number of adults with diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. Detroit also had more smokers and physically inactive adults than any other city.

Atlanta ranked just above San Antonio and below Tucson, Arizona. According to Forbes, around 16.8% of adults binge drink and 15.2% smoke. Per 100,000 residents, 16 die of an opioid overdose and more than 240 die of heart disease each year.

The healthiest city was San Jose, California, followed by Austin, Texas, and Seattle.

“Cardiovascular disease has risen to the top of the chart for leading causes of death in Georgia,” according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. “Preventable and controllable chronic diseases cost Georgia more than $40 billion per year and are the leading preventable causes of death and disability in Georgia.

“Georgia is ranked 32nd in the nation for health outcomes. With 1 out of every 6 residents in Georgia living in poverty, this serves as a predictor for lifelong poor health outcomes. Specifically, 20.2% of children in Georgia are living in poverty. Poor workforce health and the perception of Georgians maintaining unhealthy lifestyles also contribute to the low ranking.”


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