Reports - TFAH

October | 2025

State of Obesity Report 2025 : Better Policies for a Healthier America

This annual report tracks U.S. obesity rates by state, race, gender, and age and recommends policy action to address the nation's obesity crisis. Analyzing 2024 data, the report found a first time decrease in states with adult obesity rates over 35 percent but warns that this progress is limited and at risk due to federal budget cuts and staffing reductions.

Senior Couple With Disability Walking At The Park

September | 2025

Public Health’s Roles in Supporting Informal and Family Caregiving

As the population ages, the critical role of family and informal caregivers will continue to grow and needs support.

September | 2025

Public Health Infrastructure in Crisis: HHS Workforce Cuts, Reorganizations, and Funding Reductions: Impacts and Solutions

This 2025 version of TFAH’s annual report tracking public health funding tallies the serious impacts of the fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget and staff reductions and proposed agency budget levels and reorganizations for FY 2026 on the public health system. Among the report’s findings are that CDC’s budget would be reduced by 53 percent if the administration’s proposed FY 2026 budget is adopted.

May | 2025

Pain in the Nation 2025: The Epidemics of Alcohol, Drug, and Suicide Deaths

New data show that deaths due to drug overdose and alcohol are down nationally, but this progress is uneven across population groups and at risk due to cuts to federal health programs and workforce.

March | 2025

Ready or Not 2025: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism

As the Nation grapples with a multistate measles outbreak, bird flu, and an increasing number and intensity of weather-related events this annual TFAH report measures states' preparedness for public health emergencies and makes recommendations to strengthen the nation’s public health system and improve emergency readiness.

October | 2024

Pathway to a Healthier America: A Blueprint for Strengthening Public Health for the New Administration and Congress

Report provides the Administration and Congress taking office in 2025 a policy roadmap for improving the nation’s health, economy, and national security.

September | 2024

State of Obesity 2024: Better Policies for a Healthier America

This report tracks U.S. obesity rates by state, race, gender, and age and offers policy solutions. Obesity rates nationwide continue to be at epidemic levels and are predominantly highest in communities experiencing barriers to healthy eating and those with few opportunities for physical activity.

August | 2024

The Impact of Chronic Underfunding on America’s Public Health System 2024: Trends, Risks, and Recommendations

This annual report tracks federal and state investment in public health and finds that funding for core public health infrastructure remained flat for the past decade while the nation’s population and health risks grew. The report concludes that decades of underfunding has limited the public health system’s capacity to protect Americans’ health and respond to emergencies.

July | 2024

Pain in the Nation 2024: the Epidemics of Alcohol, Drug, and Suicide Deaths

A decrease in the alcohol-induced mortality rate led to a slightly lower combined rate of all U.S. deaths due to alcohol, drugs, and suicide in 2022, but the long-term trend of such deaths is still alarmingly high.

Focused Mixed Race Business People Listening To African American Colleague.

July | 2024

Building Resilience: How Recent Federal Policy is Laying the Groundwork for Improved Climate Adaptation

Adapting to the changing climate is crucial to protecting Americans’ health and the nation’s public health agencies have a key role to play in climate response planning and programs.