Press Releases Archive

Las tasas de obesidad siguen teniendo niveles de epidemia en los Estados Unidos a pesar de la caída durante todo un año en estados con tasas superiores al 35 %

El recorte en los presupuestos federales podría revertir el reciente progreso

(Washington, DC – 16 de octubre de 2025) – Datos recientemente publicados revelaron que diecinueve estados tenían tasas de obesidad adulta del 35 % o más en 2024, en comparación con 23 estados el año anterior, lo que significó un descenso por primera vez del número de estados con una tasa del 35 % o superior para este conjunto de datos.

Sin embargo, este progreso está limitado y en riesgo debido en parte a las recientes acciones federales para recapturar y reducir los fondos para programas de salud pública, eliminar programas, despedir a especialistas que trabajan en la prevención de las enfermedades crónicas y limitar el acceso a los apoyos nutricionales. Esta es la conclusión a la que llega el estudio State of Obesity 2025: Better Policies for a Healthier America (“Estado de la obesidad 2025: Mejores políticas para un país más sano”) publicado hoy por Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), una organización sin fines de lucro y apartidaria dedicada a la investigación y las políticas en materia de salud pública.

La investigación, basada en parte en el análisis que TFAH hizo de datos de 2024 recientemente publicados por el Sistema de Vigilancia de los Factores de Riesgo Conductuales (BRFSS) de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades, datos recientes de la Encuesta de Salud Nacional y Examen de Nutrición 2021-2023 (NHANES), muestra que, si bien la suba en el número de personas adultas con obesidad se ralentizó en algunos estados, la tasa de obesidad nacional general sigue siendo alarmantemente alta. A nivel nacional, 4 de cada 10 personas adultas tienen obesidad.

“Las barreras estructurales que obstaculizan la alimentación saludable y la actividad física necesitan continua atención por parte de las políticas públicas e inversión —expresó J. Nadine Gracia, M.D., MSCE, presidenta y directora ejecutiva de Trust for America’s Health—. Es vital que el Gobierno y otros sectores inviertan, en lugar de recortar, en programas que han demostrado que apoyan la buena nutrición y la actividad física y que aseguran que se llegue a todas las comunidades”.

Conclusiones clave incluidas en el informe:

Los estados con mayores tasas de obesidad en personas adultas en 2024 fueron Virginia Occidental (41,4 %), Misisipi (40,4 %) y Luisiana (39,2 %) (datos de 2024 del BRFSS).
Los estados con menores niveles de obesidad en personas adultas en 2024 fueron Colorado (25,0 %), Hawái (27,0 %) y Massachusetts (27,0 %) más Washington, D.C. (25,5 %) (datos de 2024 del BRFSS).
Las personas adultas negras y latinas tuvieron las tasas de obesidad más altas con un 49,9 % y un 45,6 % respectivamente.
Quienes viven en comunidades rurales tienden a tener tasas de obesidad más altas que quienes habitan en áreas metropolitanas.
Los niveles de obesidad son típicamente más bajos entre personas con estudios universitarios y para personas en hogares con mayores ingresos, lo que sugiere que la asequibilidad de los alimentos saludables desempeñan un papel en las tasas de obesidad de la nación.

Las tasas de obesidad están aumentando en la población infantil y adolescente. Poco más del 21 % de los niños, niñas y adolescentes estadounidenses, entre los 2 y los 19 años, tienen obesidad a nivel nacional (NHANES, 2021-2023).

Estas tasas crecieron más del triple desde mediados de la década de 1970, y la juventud negra y latina tienen índices de obesidad considerablemente más altos que sus pares de comunidades asiáticas y blancas.

La obesidad y otras enfermedades relacionadas con la dieta están asociadas con una variedad de estados de salud física y mental, mortalidad más alta, costos de salud más altos y pérdida de productividad. Si bien las tasas de obesidad dependen de muchos factores, el contexto económico y de la comunidad determinan tanto la vida diaria de la población como sus opciones con respecto a alimentos saludables, actividad física, educación, trabajo y seguridad financiera, lo cual afecta sistemáticamente el peso y la salud de las personas.

Aunque las tasas de obesidad aumentaron para todos los grupos poblacionales, los grupos con índices más altos, que incluyen a personas que viven en comunidades rurales y algunas poblaciones no blancas, típicamente enfrentan más barreras estructurales que obstaculizan la alimentación saludable, como el costo de la comida y el acceso a ella, y la falta de oportunidades y lugares para hacer actividad física en sus vecindarios.

El informe incluye un especial sobre los hallazgos científicos emergentes y las consideraciones políticas en torno a los alimentos ultraprocesados y el papel que desempeñan en la crisis de obesidad, una problemática que está atrayendo creciente atención a nivel nacional y que constituye el foco de la iniciativa Make America Healthy Again. Las autoras del estudio entrevistaron a un director de nutrición escolar de Colorado que se explayó sobre dificultades técnicas y financieras específicas asociadas con la eliminación de alimentos ultraprocesados en las comidas escolares.

El documento también resalta los programas federales que buscan hacer frente al incremento de las tasas de enfermedades crónicas como la obesidad. Sin embargo, el presupuesto presidencial para el año fiscal 2026 propone la eliminación casi total del Centro Nacional para la Prevención de Enfermedades Crónicas y Promoción de la Salud en los CDC. Entre las labores de este centro, hay programas fundamentales que financian iniciativas estatales, locales, tribales y territoriales para hacer frente y prevenir la obesidad, la diabetes, la enfermedad cardíaca, el accidente cerebrovascular y otras enfermedades crónicas.

El informe incluye recomendaciones para la acción política para la administración, el Congreso y los estados a fin de afrontar la crisis de obesidad de la nación, entre ellas:

Conservar y fortalecer el Centro Nacional para la Prevención de Enfermedades Crónicas y Promoción de la Salud en los CDC, que apoya actividades comprobadas de prevención de enfermedades en estados y comunidades.
Revertir los recortes efectuados y propuestos a programas de apoyo a la nutrición al tiempo que se mejora la calidad nutricional de los alimentos disponibles, incluidos Programa Asistencial de Nutrición Suplementaria (SNAP) y el Programa de Asistencia Nutricional Especial para Mujeres, Bebés y Niños (WIC).
La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos debería implementar un requisito de etiquetado nutricional frontal de los envases para ayudar a la población a hacer elecciones informadas.
Garantizar el acceso a la salud, incluidos los programas de prevención y tratamiento de la obesidad, revirtiendo los recortes a Medicaid y a los subsidios para el mercado de salud.
Atacar los causas principales y los factores que impulsan la disparidades en la salud y dirigir los programas de prevención de la obesidad a las comunidades con mayores necesidades.
Hacer que la actividad física sea más accesible incrementando las iniciativas fundamentadas empíricamente que apoyan el transporte activo y la actividad física en las comunidades.
Abordar las estrategias de marketing y de precios de la industria para reducir la publicidad de alimentos poco saludables dirigida a niños y niñas.

El informe completo puede leerse en: https://www.tfah.org/report-details/state-of-obesity-report-2025

Trust for America’s Health es una organización sin fines de lucro y apartidaria dedicada a las políticas de salud pública, la investigación y la incidencia que promueve la salud óptima para cada persona y comunidad y hace de la prevención de enfermedades y lesiones una prioridad nacional.

U.S. Adult Obesity Rates Remain at Epidemic Levels Despite a One-Year Dip in States with Obesity Rates Over 35 Percent

Federal budget cuts risk reversing recent progress

(Washington, DC – October 16, 2025) – Newly released data found that nineteen states had adult obesity rates at or above 35 percent in 2024, down from 23 states the prior year, a first time decrease in the number of states at or above the 35 percent level for this dataset.

However, this progress is limited and at risk due in part to recent federal actions to claw back and reduce funding for public health programs, eliminate programs and lay off experts that work on chronic disease prevention, and limit access to nutrition supports. So concludes a new report, State of Obesity 2025: Better Policies for a Healthier America, released today by Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), a non-partisan, non-profit organization focused on public health research and policy.

The report, based in part on TFAH’s analysis of newly released 2024 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), and recent data from the 2021-2023 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), shows that while the rise in the number of U.S. adults with obesity slowed in some states, the nation’s overall obesity rate continues to be alarmingly high. Nationally, 4 in 10 American adults have obesity.

“Structural barriers to healthy eating and physical activity need continued policy attention and investment,” said J. Nadine Gracia, M.D., MSCE, President and CEO of Trust for America’s Health. “It is vital that government and other sectors invest in – not cut – proven programs that support good nutrition and physical activity and ensure they reach all communities.”

Key findings from the report include:

The states with the highest rates of obesity among adults in 2024 were West Virginia (41.4%), Mississippi (40.4%), and Louisiana (39.2%) (2024 data from BRFSS).
States with lowest levels of adult obesity in 2024 were Colorado (25.0%), Hawaii (27.0%), and Massachusetts (27.0%) plus Washington, D.C. (25.5%) (2024 data from BRFSS).
Black and Latino adults had the highest rates of obesity at 49.9 percent and 45.6 percent respectively.
People living in rural communities tend to have higher rates of obesity compared to people living in metro areas.
Obesity levels are typically lower among people with college degrees and for people with higher household incomes, suggesting that the affordability of healthy foods plays a role in nation’s rates of people with obesity.

Obesity rates are increasing among children and adolescents, with just over 21 percent of U.S. children and adolescents, ages 2 to 19, having obesity nationwide (2021–2023 NHANES).

These rates have more than tripled since the mid-1970s, and Black and Latino youth have substantially higher rates of obesity compared to their Asian and white peers.

Obesity and other diet-related diseases are associated with a range of physical and mental health conditions, higher mortality, higher healthcare costs, and productivity losses. While obesity rates depend on many factors, economic and community context shape Americans’ daily life and available choices around healthy food, physical activity, education, jobs, stress, and financial security, which systematically affect people’s weight and health.

While obesity rates have increased for all population groups, groups with higher rates, including people who live in rural communities and some populations of color, typically face more structural barriers to healthy eating, including food cost and access and a lack of opportunities and safe places to be physically active in their neighborhoods.

The report includes a special feature on the emerging science and policy considerations concerning ultra-processed foods and their role in the obesity crisis, an issue that is gaining increased national attention and is a focus of the Make America Healthy Again effort. The report authors interviewed a Colorado school nutrition director who delves into the specific technical and funding challenges associated with limiting ultra-processed foods in school meals.

The report also highlights the federal programs that seek to address rising rates of chronic diseases like obesity. However, the president’s fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget request proposes the near total elimination of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at CDC. The center’s work includes cornerstone programs that fund state, local, tribal, and territorial efforts to address and prevent obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stroke, and other chronic diseases.

The report includes recommendations for policy action by the administration, Congress, and states to address the nation’s obesity crisis, including:

Retain and strengthen the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at CDC, which supports proven disease prevention activities in states and communities.
Reverse cuts or proposed cuts to nutrition support programs while improving the nutritional quality of available foods, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).
The Food and Drug Administration should implement a front-of-package nutrition label requirement to help consumers make informed choices.
Ensure access to healthcare, including obesity prevention and treatment programs, by reversing cuts to Medicaid and marketplace subsidies.
Address upstream drivers and root causes of health disparities and target obesity prevention programs to communities with the highest needs.
Make physical activity more accessible by increasing evidence-based initiatives that support active transportation and physical activity in communities.
Address industry marketing and pricing strategies to reduce advertising of unhealthy foods to children.

Read the full report

The Number of People in the U.S. Serving as Informal Caregivers is Growing, Yet Support and Assistance for Them is Shrinking, According to New Policy Brief

Public health agencies can play vital role in supporting caregivers

(Washington, DC – September 30, 2025) – As the percentage of older adults continues to grow in the United States, so do the number of people providing informal caregiving to them. A new policy brief highlighting the role of caregivers, published by Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) today, finds that many people who provide unpaid, informal caregiving are experiencing increasing levels of economic, emotional, and physical hardships as a result. The brief highlights the many roles that public health agencies can play in supporting caregivers and that more federal and state interventions are needed to support this growing segment of the population.

The brief, Public Health’s Roles in Supporting Informal and Family Caregivers, reports that 41.8 million people served as a caregiver to an adult over the age of 50 in 2020, an increase of over 7 million people who provided unpaid care to a family member or friend in 2015.

“The prevalence of caregiving in the U.S. has grown exponentially more complex,” said Megan Wolfe, senior policy development manager at TFAH who leads its Age-Friendly Public Health Systems initiative. “As more jurisdictions work to be age-friendly communities, having a nuanced understanding of the role and challenges facing caregivers will allow public health organizations to work with community partners to advocate for and provide the support caregivers need.”

The caregiving population is a diverse one, with about 40 percent of caregivers being individuals of color (17 percent Hispanic or Latino, 14 percent non-Hispanic Black, 5 percent Asian American and Pacific Islander, and 3 percent some other race/ethnicity, including those who identified as multiracial), according to the brief.

Women that serve as caregivers and caregivers of color face greater financial stress and physical demands that can impact their health, including experiencing depressive symptoms and feeling ignored or difficulty navigating healthcare systems.

TFAH’s Age-Friendly Public Health Systems (AFPHS) provides guidance for public health practitioners on the policy and systems changes that are needed to advance healthy aging and build supportive communities. This includes programs and activities that support caregivers, including better availability and easier navigation of caregivers’ supports.

The brief provides recommendations for the roles of public health that are aligned with the AFPHS Framework, including:

Advocate for changes to the workplace to create supports for caregivers including leave policies and employment protections.
Help create cross sector initiatives that support older adult and caregiver needs.
Work with the healthcare sector to ensure that healthcare providers understand and can refer caregivers to non-clinical support resources in their communities.
Collect data on the experience of caregivers and help communities design programs that meet their needs.
Model the use of culturally appropriate communication strategies that recognize the diversity of the caregiving population.
Create programs that provide caregivers with the tools they need to care for themselves and their care recipients.

TFAH’s Age-Friendly Public Health Systems initiative is made possible with generous support from The John A. Hartford Foundation.

To learn more about the Age-Friendly Public Health Systems initiative, visit Age-Friendly Public Health Systems – Trust for America’s Health (afphs.org)

# # #

Trust for America’s Health is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public health policy, research, and advocacy organization that promotes optimal health for every person and community and works to make the prevention of illness and injury a national priority.

The John A. Hartford Foundation, based in New York City, is a private, nonpartisan, national philanthropy dedicated to improving the care of older adults. The leader in the field of aging and health, the Foundation has three areas of emphasis: creating age-friendly health systems, supporting family caregivers and improving serious illness and end-of-life care. https://www.johnahartford.org/

Nuevo análisis El presupuesto de los CDC se reduciría en un 53 % si se adopta el presupuesto propuesto por la Administración para el año fiscal 2026; más de sesenta programas de los CDC quedarían eliminados

Los programas estatales y locales de salud pública y preparación se verán considerablemente afectados

(Washington, DC – 18 de septiembre de 2025) – Los departamentos de salud en estados y localidades de todo el país están enfrentando severas reducciones presupuestarias debido a los recortes federales, recaptura de fondos, despidos y congelamiento de contrataciones, y reorganizaciones, tanto actuales como propuestos. Estas acciones debilitarán considerablemente el sistema sanitario y la preparación y respuesta ante emergencias de la nación y pondrá en peligro la salud y la seguridad económica del país. Estas son las conclusiones de un nuevo informe, Public Health Infrastructure in Crisis: HHS Workforce Cuts, Reorganizations, and Funding Reductions: Impacts and Solutions (“La infraestructura sanitaria en crisis: Recortes de personal del HHS, reorganizaciones y reducciones de financiamiento: impactos y soluciones”) publicado hoy por Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), una organización sin fines de lucro y apartidaria dedicada a la investigación y las políticas en materia de salud pública.

El informe, que incluye un análisis original de TFAH, calcula los impactos de las reducciones presupuestarias y de personal y las reorganizaciones hasta la fecha, así como también los cambios adicionales propuestos, y resalta las siguientes conclusiones:

El presupuesto plateado por el Presidente para el año fiscal 2026 para los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC) asciende al 53 % de reducción en comparación con el año fiscal 2024. Esta cifra refleja los recortes propuestos para los CDC y su hermana, la Agencia para Sustancias Tóxicas y el Registro de Enfermedades (ATSDR). Estas reducciones están pendientes de acción en el Congreso.
Además, dentro del recorte total propuesto, el Programa de Preparación ante Emergencias de Salud Pública de los CDC enfrenta una reducción de fondos del 52 %.
En total, el presupuesto presentado recorta poco más de la mitad del financiamiento para los CDC y la ATSDR y restaura alrededor de un cuarto de los fondos perdidos hacia dos divisiones del HHS recientemente creadas: la Administración para una América Sana y la Oficina de Estrategias.
Más de 100 programas de salud pública y líneas de financiamiento serían eliminadas bajo el presupuesto presentado por el Presidente para el año fiscal 2026, incluidos 61 programas de los CDC y 40 programas de la Administración de Salud Mental y Abuso de Sustancias. Entre los programas en riesgo de eliminación están los de prevención de cáncer, diabetes, enfermedad coronaria y accidente cerebrovascular; los de prevención de la obesidad; los de prevención del VIH/SIDA, tanto nacionales como internacionales; los de inmunización global; y los de recuperación y prevención del uso de opiáceos y otras sustancias.
La reorganización propuesta para las agencias del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de los Estados Unidos (HHS) reduciría en un 16 % la cantidad de personal que trabaja en programas de salud pública, incluso contando la creación de la Administración para una América Sana que se ha propuesto.
Este año la rescisión de fondos ya aprobados recapturó 12 000 millones de USD en subvenciones de la época de la covid-19; fondos que además de apoyar la respuesta a la pandemia estaban destinados a reforzar la infraestructura de salud pública más allá de las necesidades creadas por la pandemia, como el monitoreo de enfermedades infecciosas, la capacidad de laboratorio, la preparación ante emergencias y los servicios de salud mental.

El informe se concentra en los cambios en los CDC y otras agencias del HHS debido a su rol central en el apoyo de los programas de salud pública y la respuesta a crisis a nivel estatal y local. Alrededor del 80 % del presupuesto interno de los CDC va hacia estados, localidades, tribus y organizaciones tribales, sistemas de salud y actores comunitarios para apoyar iniciativas de salud pública estatales y locales. Los fondos federales representan cerca de la mitad de los presupuestos de los departamentos de salud estatales y locales, por lo que los recortes en el gasto federal son recortes en los presupuestos de salud pública.

“Los grandes cambios que ocurren en las agencias federales de salud pública afectan a todas las comunidades y tienen impacto sobre la vida de toda la ciudadanía. Los departamentos sanitarios estatales y locales, que están en la primera línea de protección de la salud de sus residentes, dependen del gobierno federal, en particular de los CDC, para obtener financiamiento de la salud pública, experticia y asistencia técnica. Con la pérdida de fondos, personal y programas, nuestro país estará menos preparado para futuras emergencias sanitarias, la salud de la ciudadanía sufrirá y aumentarán los costos de la salud”, dijo J. Nadine Gracia, M.D., MSCE, presidenta y directora ejecutiva de Trust for America’s Health.

El informe incluye entrevistas con dos responsables de oficinas de salud pública —el Dr. Scott Harris, Responsable de la Oficina de Salud Estatal de Alabama, y la Dra. Katherine Wells, Directora de Salud Pública de la ciudad de Lubbock, Texas—, quienes describen los impactos y los desafíos creados en el territorio por las acciones federales, tanto las que están en curso como las que se proponen. Ambas oficinas están luchando con reducciones presupuestarias de por lo menos la mitad de su presupuesto anual como resultado de los recortes federales.

El informe también reconoce que el sistema de salud pública tiene áreas por mejorar. Necesita modernizarse y fortalecerse para satisfacer los desafíos sanitarios tanto actuales como emergentes de la población. El informe hace un llamamiento a la colaboración entre la administración, el Congreso y las oficinas de salud pública para reforzar el sistema con acciones basadas en datos. Algunas de las acciones que recomienda son:

El Congreso y la administración deberían restaurar las agencias federales de salud, los fondos y el personal que se recortaron en 2025.
La administración y el Congreso deberían mantener y reforzar la estructura y las capacidades de las agencias federales de salud, que tienen roles específicos, complementarios y distintos y cuentan con experticia en la protección de la salud de la nación.
El Congreso, en colaboración con agencias federales y especialistas y actores externos, debería llevar adelante un proceso deliberativo bipartidista de revisión de propuestas para la reestructuración de las agencias federales de salud o el desarrollo de nuevas agencias.
El Congreso y la administración deberían fortalecer el CDC como una agencia de salud pública integral nacional con responsabilidades en materia de detección, prevención y mitigación de las principales causas de muerte prevenible, enfermedades y lesiones.
Las agencias federales deben gastar todos los fondos asignados por el Congreso, conforme a la ley, y la Oficina de Administración y Presupuesto debería liberar hacia las agencias fondos para todo el año luego de la promulgación de la ley de asignación.
El Congreso debería garantizar el mejoramiento continuo de las capacidades de salud pública y los servicios esenciales de la nación, como el personal, los laboratorios y los sistemas de datos en todos los niveles.
El Congreso debería restaurar el Fondo de Prevención y Salud Pública, un fuente crucial de fondos sostenidos para la prevención de enfermedades y actividades de promoción de la salud en cada estado y territorio, así como también en localidades y comunidades tribales, y prevenir futuros recortes.

El informe completo puede leerse en: https://www.tfah.org/report-details/funding-report-2025

New Analysis: CDC’s Budget Would be Reduced by 53 Percent if the Administration’s Proposed FY 2026 Budget is Adopted; Over Sixty CDC Programs Would be Eliminated

State and local public health and preparedness programs will be significantly impacted

(Washington, DC – September 18, 2025) – Health departments in states and localities nationwide are facing severe budget reductions due to current and proposed federal cuts, funding clawbacks, layoffs and hiring freezes, and agency reorganizations. These actions will weaken the nation’s public health system and emergency readiness and response and will put the country’s health and economic security at risk. So concludes a new report, Public Health Infrastructure in Crisis: HHS Workforce Cuts, Reorganizations, and Funding Reductions: Impacts and Solutions released today by Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), a non-partisan, non-profit organization focused on public health research and policy.

The report, which includes original analysis by TFAH, tallies the impacts of budget and staff reductions and proposed agency reorganizations to date as well as additional proposed changes and highlights the following findings:

The President’s proposed FY 2026 budget for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) amounts to a 53 percent reduction in funding as compared to FY 2024. This figure reflects proposed cuts to CDC and its sister agency, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). These reductions are pending Congressional action.
In addition, within the total proposed cut, CDC’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness program faces a 52 percent funding reduction.
Overall, the proposed budget cuts CDC and ATSDR funding by slightly more than half and then restores about one-quarter of the lost funding to two newly proposed HHS divisions: the Administration for a Healthy America and the Office of Strategy.
Over 100 public health programs and funding lines would be eliminated under the President’s proposed FY 2026 budget including 61 programs at CDC and 40 programs at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Programs facing elimination include cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke prevention programs, obesity prevention programs, global and domestic HIV/AIDS prevention programs, global immunization programs, and opioid and other substance use prevention and recovery programs.
The proposed reorganization of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies would reduce the number of staff positions working on public health programs by 16 percent, even when accounting for the creation of the proposed Administration for a Healthy America.
This year’s termination of already-approved funds clawed back over $12 billion in COVID-19 era grants – funding that in addition to supporting the pandemic response was intended to strengthen public health infrastructure beyond the needs created by the pandemic, including infectious disease monitoring, laboratory capacity, emergency preparedness, and mental health services.

The report is focused on changes to CDC and other select HHS agencies due to their central role in supporting public health programs and crisis response at the state and local level. About 80 percent of the CDC’s domestic budget flows to states, localities, tribes and tribal organizations, healthcare systems, and community partners to support state and local public health initiatives. Federal funding accounts for about half of state and local health department budgets so cuts to federal spending are cuts to local public health budgets.

“The consequential changes occurring in federal public health agencies impact every community and the lives of every American. State and local health departments, which are on the frontlines of protecting the health of their residents rely on the federal government, particularly CDC, for public health funding, expertise, and technical assistance. With the loss of funding, workforce, and programs, our country will be less prepared for future health emergencies, Americans’ health will suffer, and healthcare costs will rise,” said J. Nadine Gracia, M.D., MSCE, President and CEO, Trust for America’s Health.

Included in the report are interviews with two public health officials – Dr. Scott Harris, State Health Officer of Alabama, and Dr. Katherine Wells, Director of Public Health, City of Lubbock, Texas – describing the on the ground impacts and challenges created by the recent and proposed federal actions. Both are grappling with budget reductions of at least half of their annual budget due to federal cuts.

The report also acknowledges that the public health system has room for improvement. It needs to be modernized and strengthened to meet ongoing and emerging population health challenges. The report calls for collaboration between the administration, Congress, and public health leaders to strengthen the system through data driven actions. Some of the policy actions it recommends are:

Congress and the administration should restore federal health agencies, funding, and workforces that were cut in 2025.
The administration and Congress should maintain and strengthen the structure and capabilities of federal health agencies, which have specific, complementary, and distinct roles and expertise in protecting the nation’s health.
Congress, in collaboration with federal agencies and outside experts and partners, should lead a bipartisan, deliberative process of reviewing proposals for federal health agency restructuring or development of new agencies.
Congress and the administration should strengthen CDC as a national, comprehensive public health agency with responsibilities across the detection, prevention, and mitigation of the leading causes of preventable death, illness, and injury.
Federal agencies must spend all funds appropriated by Congress, as required by law, and the Office of Management and Budget should release full-year funds to agencies after enactment of appropriations legislation.
Congress should ensure continuous improvement of the nation’s public health capabilities and essential services, including workforces, laboratories, and data systems at all levels.
Congress should restore the Prevention and Public Health Fund, a critical source of sustained funding for disease prevention and health promotion activities in every state and territory, as well as in localities and tribal communities, and prevent future cuts.

TFAH Reflections on the 20-year Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

(Washington, DC – August 29, 2025) – This week marks 20 years since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast and devastated communities in Louisiana, especially New Orleans and its surrounding areas, Mississippi, and other Gulf Coast states, including Alabama and Florida. Tragically, nearly 1,400 lives were lost in the storm. Entire areas were destroyed. Some neighborhoods, which are mostly historically Black or low-income, still haven’t fully recovered from the disaster. This somber milestone should serve as a reminder for government at every level to make necessary and consistent investments in the nation’s emergency preparedness capabilities. Extreme weather events have increased in frequency and intensity since the Category 5 storm ripped through the Gulf Coast in 2005. The lasting and often disparate impacts on the health, economy, and ecology of the region are a call to action that we must be better prepared for future emergencies.

We recognize that many jurisdictions have improved their public health infrastructure and preparedness over the last two decades, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, and other federal agencies. TFAH’s annual report, Ready or Not: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism, has chronicled this progress. But we’ve also found more work is needed to ensure every community is prepared. Furthermore, much of the progress that has been achieved is now at risk due to proposed cuts in federal support for the public health workforce and outbreak prevention and preparedness programs.

The loss of entire swaths of neighborhoods due to extreme weather events is unacceptable. This is a shared responsibility. The federal government has an important leadership role to play in emergency readiness and response. Federal, state, and local governments should collaborate with each other and with trusted local organizations and leaders to safeguard every community.

Hurricane Katrina showed us that our most under-resourced communities must be a focus of and have a role in emergency planning. Failure to do so will not only exacerbate health and economic disparities but will also have a ripple effect on the entire community’s ability to thrive.

TFAH’s Ready or Not report outlines specific policy recommendations for strengthening the nation’s preparedness. We encourage policymakers to act on these recommendations and make the necessary investments to safeguard our communities.

Statement from J. Nadine Gracia, M.D., MSCE, President and CEO of Trust for America’s Health on the Termination of the CDC Director and Departure of Senior Leadership at CDC

(Washington DC – August 28, 2025) – “We are alarmed and deeply troubled by the abrupt termination of the CDC director, Dr. Susan Monarez, along with the resignations of a number of the agency’s senior leaders. Their departures, along with hundreds of others who have involuntarily left CDC, threaten the nation’s health security and deplete the expertise needed to protect our nation’s health. Less than one month after a targeted shooting at CDC’s headquarters, the agency is left without stable leadership. We express our strong support for CDC staff and their mission, expertise, and impact in promoting health and saving lives.

We cannot accept the weakening of our defenses against health threats, including by subverting well-established, science-based vaccine policies. Our communities are facing respiratory virus and hurricane seasons, while dealing with ongoing chronic disease, mental health, and substance use challenges. The health, economic fortitude, and national security of the U.S. depend on a CDC with experienced, science-driven leaders at the helm.”

Public Health Leaders’ Joint Statement in Response to the Attack on CDC

(Washington, DC – August 14, 2025) – In response to the horrific shooting that occurred on Friday, August 8, targeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the public health community stands in solidarity with our CDC colleagues. We denounce acts of harassment, terror, and violence against the public health workforce.

Our hearts break for the family of police officer David Rose who lost his life protecting his community.

Two hundred bullets struck and caused damage to six federal buildings and over 500 rounds were fired at the CDC campus. We are saddened, alarmed, and deeply concerned about the health and safety of our colleagues. The shooting was an attack on an American workplace and on the people and infrastructure that keep us all healthy and safe.

We are committed to working together to support our nation’s dedicated public servants who comprise the public health workforce and call on others to do the same. It is critical to the health of all communities that CDC and all people working in public health across the country are able to continue to make their invaluable contributions to advancing health and well-being without the fear of harassment or violence.

People choosing public health as a profession are committed to advancing our nation’s health and recognize that good health in every community benefits everyone. It is our hope that all Americans will stand with us to support the vital role that CDC and the entire public health workforce play in supporting safety and well-being in every community. Their expertise and commitment to advancing health deserves all Americans’ unwavering support.

American College of Epidemiology

American College of Epidemiology Research and Education Foundation

American Public Health Association

Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs

Association of Public Health Nurses

Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors

Association of State and Territorial Health Officials

Association of State and Territorial Public Health Social Workers

Association of Public Health Laboratories

Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health

Big Cities Health Coalition

CDC Foundation

Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists

de Beaumont Foundation

National Association of Chronic Disease Directors

National Association of County and City Health Officials

National Association of State Emergency Medical Services Officials

National Network of Public Health Institutes

Prevention Institute

Public Health Accreditation Board

Safe States Alliance

The Kresge Foundation

Trust for America’s Health

TFAH Statement on SCOTUS Decision in Kennedy v. Braidwood Management

(Washington, DC – July 10, 2025) – The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, Inc. upheld the constitutionality of a central provision of the Affordable Care Act that mandates no-cost insurance coverage for recommended preventive health services. The decision is an important victory for Americans’ access to the preventive services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) at no cost to the patient.

The decision protects access to lifesaving health screenings, including screenings for cancer and diabetes, preventive screening and treatment for pregnant women, and preventive services for heart disease, and HIV. Access to these screening tools and treatments without cost-sharing is critical to safeguarding and improving Americans’ health. Research has shown that when preventive screening and services require cost-sharing by the patient, fewer people get these screenings or preventive care. Delayed or denied preventive services can lead to worse health outcomes and higher rates of disease.

While the court’s preservation of no-cost access to health screenings and treatments is critical, a second aspect of the decision – affirming that the Secretary of Health and Human Services has the power to “direct and supervise” the work of the USPSTF, including the ability to remove and replace Task Force members at will or potentially reject their recommendations – is concerning. It is vital that the scientific independence and integrity of the Task Force be upheld.

Trust for America’s Health, with the American Public Health Association, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and a coalition of 115 public health and health policy deans and scholars authored an amicus brief to the court outlining the health impacts that the loss of no-cost coverage of preventive health services and screenings would have for the over 150 million Americans who are enrolled in private insurance plans.

Missouri, Kansas saw combined drug, alcohol, suicide deaths decline in recent research

(Kansas – June 10, 2025)

Deaths caused by drugs, alcohol and suicide dropped in Missouri and Kansas in 2023, thanks in part to investment in mental health services and data tracking from government agencies, a new report found.

The data analysis from Trust for America’s Health found that Missouri and Kansas tracked nationwide trends when it comes to deaths induced by alcohol, drug overdose or suicide.

Read the article