Health Smart Stories
Health data stories covering cardiovascular disease, obesity trends, and regional health disparities in America.
The Southern Obesity Belt: What 5 States Reveal About Environment and Health
Health • Obesity • Public Health • Regional Health • Prevention
West Virginia: 41.2% obesity. Colorado: 24.9%. A 17-point gap between the highest and lowest states. The top 5 rates are all Southern. 3 states have crossed 40%. The pattern reveals that environment shapes health outcomes. States investing in walkable communities and food access are seeing results.
West Virginia's 41.2% vs Colorado's 24.9% reveals the power of environment. The 17-point gap reflects walkability, food access, and healthcare infrastructure. States investing in healthy environments see results. The blueprint exists for every state willing to follow it.
The 3x Vaping Gap: Where Prevention Is Already Working
Health • Public Health • Tobacco • Youth Health • Prevention
In Oklahoma, 1 in 3 young adults vape. In Delaware, 1 in 12. Same country. 3.4x the difference. The gap proves prevention works. States that invested in youth education kept rates in single digits. The blueprint exists. Every state can follow it.
Delaware keeps young adult vaping at 8.5% while Oklahoma sits at 33%. The 3.4x gap isn't destiny. It's the difference between states that invested in prevention and states that can still choose to.
The 135 vs 60 Gap: Why Americans Die from Heart Disease at Double the Rate
Health • Heart Disease • Public Health • Healthcare • Mortality
South Korea: 60 deaths per 100,000. United States: 135. Americans die from heart disease at 2.25x the rate of the healthiest nations. The gap represents roughly 225,000 American lives lost every year that didn't have to be. Same human biology. Different health systems. The gap is policy, not genetics.
Americans die at 2.25x the rate of South Koreans. South Korea cut deaths 68%. The US cut just 34%. Prevention beats treatment. The blueprint exists in national screening programs and dietary guidelines. 225,000 lives wait for that answer.