"WASHINGTON, DC -- Environmental factors contribute to higher rates of disease and injury among Americans compared to people in other high-income countries, finds a new report from the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine."

"The report shows that this health disadvantage exists at all ages from birth to age 75 but is more pronounced among people younger than 50.

The U.S. has relatively high rates of poverty and income inequality and is lagging behind other countries in the education of young people, but the report shows that even advantaged Americans with health insurance, college educations, higher incomes, and healthy behaviors – appear to be sicker than their peers in other rich nations.

'We were struck by the gravity of these findings,' said Steven Woolf, professor of family medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond and chair of the panel that wrote the report."

Environment News Service had the story January 9, 2013 [2].

SEE ALSO:

"U.S. Health Is Lousy Compared With Peer Nations, Report Says" (Los Angeles Times) [3]