Healthy People in Action

Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of disease in the United States. It causes more deaths than HIV, drug and alcohol misuse, motor vehicle accidents, suicide, and murder combined. In the state of Minnesota, smoking is responsible for more than $3 billion in annual health care costs and contributes to more than 6,000 deaths each year.

Legal and policy approaches can be important tools for achieving healthier communities. The report, The Role of Law and Policy in Achieving the Healthy People 2020 Nutrition and Weight Status Goals of Increased Fruit and Vegetable Intake in the United States, provides evidence-based information and identifies priority areas that can help communities achieve Healthy People objectives.

​Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) are significant contributors to death and illness in the United States. People who have HIV but don’t know it are less likely to get the treatment and support services they need, and they are more likely to transmit the disease to others. To increase knowledge of HIV disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends routine, opt-out HIV testing in health care settings for everyone between ages 13 and 64.

Legal and policy approaches can be important tools for achieving healthier communities. The report, The Role of Law and Policy in Achieving the Healthy People 2020 Nutrition and Weight Status Goals of Increased Fruit and Vegetable Intake in the United States, provides evidence-based information and identifies priority areas that can help communities achieve Healthy People objectives.