Healthy People

Since 1980, the Healthy People initiative has set measurable objectives to improve the health and well-being of people nationwide. At the beginning of every decade, we launch a new iteration of the initiative that addresses the latest public health priorities and challenges. 

Healthy People 2030 is the initiative’s fifth iteration.

Go to Healthy People 2030

What 2 Healthy People 2030 Objectives Tell Us About the Nation’s Nutrition

Healthy People 2030

When it comes to healthy diets, the science says to eat more vegetables and consume less sugar. Nutrition is key to health and well-being, but as Healthy People 2030 data indicate, we’ve got more work to do — especially when you consider that most American diets don’t align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County and ODPHP Share Tips to Get Older Adults Moving

In July 2023, ODPHP joined forces with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) to host a webinar called Increasing Physical Activity Among Older Adults: Practical Strategies from Health Departments. As part of the webinar, local health departments presented strategies they use to encourage older adults to get active...

Hypertension: a Pandemic Perspective

Health and Well-Being Matter. ODPHP Director RDML Paul Reed, MD.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, puts tens of millions of people at risk for largely preventable conditions — such as heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure — and premature death. Hypertension is one of the leading modifiable risk factors causing chronic disease and premature mortality in the United States. Yet a large percentage of Americans are unaware that they have hypertension, and only about 1 in 4 adults in the United States have it under control. Preventing and controlling hypertension for Americans will save lives, reduce inordinate costs, and improve health, well-being, and resilience. The first step toward these outcomes is acknowledging that hypertension, sometimes called the “silent killer” for often going undetected before leading to serious harm, is also a “silent pandemic” — and though it’s not a contagious threat in the traditional sense, hypertension needs to be addressed with even greater attention and urgency. The statistics clearly define the problem.