Report: Wisconsin Seniors Getting Healthier

A national report ranks the overall health of older people in Wisconsin 10th best in the country but says many in the Badger State still eat and drink too much.

America’s Health Rankings says obesity in Wisconsin residents age 60 and older has risen to nearly 32 percent. The data is self-reported, said Dr. Rhonda Randall with United Health Foundation. The organization compiled the data showing obesity rose 18 percent among the elderly since 2013.

“And this comes from survey data where the CDC asks individuals if they would rate themselves as obese,” she said. “So that number actually might be underreported. It might be higher than what we see.”

The national report also cited excessive drinking among the older adults, something backed up in a recent report by Wisconsin health officials.

Nevertheless, overall health has improved. Wisconsin’s health ranking moved up three spots from the previous report. Recent findings show hospital deaths are down, hospital re-admissions flat and food insecurity is relatively low. Additionally, 34 percent of older adults report volunteering in the last year.

“As we age, maintaining a sense of purpose is very important to our overall health,” Randall said. “Of course we can all understand the link to our emotional health, but there’s also a link to our overall health when we keep social connections. So volunteerism is a nice proxy for that.”