NEWPORT-Americans are living longer thanks to several medical advances, but unhealthy behavior and preventable illnesses threaten the quality of life, according to UnitedHealth Foundation's 2012 America's Health Rankings. In this year's edition, Tennessee ranks 39th nationally, while Cocke County ranks 85th in the state.

Since 1990, premature, cardiovascular, and cancer deaths have declined by 18.0 percent, 34.6 percent, and 7.6 percent respectively; however, Americans are experiencing troubling levels of obesity (27.8 percent of the adult population), diabetes (9.5 of the adult population), high blood pressure (30.8 percent of the adult population), and sedentary behavior, i.e., too much sitting and not enough exercise, (26.2 percent of the adult population).

For more details, please see the weekend edition of the Newport Plain Talk.