FY 2021 Annual Performance Plan and Report - Goal 2 Objective 1

Topics on this page: Goal 2. Objective 1 | Objective 2.1 Table of Related Performance Measures

Goal 2. Objective 1: Empower people to make informed choices for healthier living

Health promotion and wellness activities involve providing information and education to motivate individuals, families, and communities to adopt healthy behaviors, which ultimately can improve overall public health. However, the lack of access to and understanding of health information can lead people to make uninformed decisions and engage in risky behavior. The Department supports a series of programs and initiatives aimed at improving nutrition; increasing physical activity; reducing environmental hazards; increasing access to preventive services; and reducing the use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs and prescription drug abuse. HHS achieves these outcomes are achieved through culturally competent and linguistically appropriate health education, services, and supports made possible through strategic partnerships.

The Office of the Secretary leads this objective. The following divisions are responsible for implementing programs under this strategic objective: ACF, ATSDR, CDC, FDA, HRSA, IHS, NIH, OASH, OCR, OGA, and SAMHSA. In consultation with OMB, HHS has determined that performance toward this objective is progressing. The narrative below provides a brief summary of progress made and achievements or challenges, as well as plans to improve or maintain performance.

Objective 2.1 Table of Related Performance Measures

Reduce the annual adult per-capita combustible tobacco consumption in the United States (Lead Agency - CDC; Measure ID - 4.6.2a)

Although cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of tobacco-related disease, tobacco users are increasingly shifting consumption to other tobacco products and dual use with other combusted tobacco, which include cigars, cigarillos and little cigars, pipe tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco, and hookah. This has resulted in a slowing of the decline in the consumption of all combustible tobacco, and indicates that the use of non-cigarette combustible products has become more common in recent years and that some smokers may be switching to other combustible tobacco products rather than quitting smoking cigarettes completely. Per capita combustible tobacco product consumption declined from 1,114 cigarette equivalents in FY 2017 to 1,061 cigarette equivalents in FY 2018. In FY 2020 and FY 2021, CDC will continue to monitor combustible tobacco consumption to inform its strategies on reducing tobacco-related disease.

Reduce the age-adjusted proportion of adults (age 20 years and older) who are obese (Lead Agency - CDC; Measure ID - 4.11.10a)^{18, 19}

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data for FY 2016 show that 39.6 percent of adults are obese, which is an increase compared to the proportion of obese adults reported in FY 2014. Some community factors that affect diet and physical activity. These factors include the affordability and availability of healthy food options (e.g. fruits and vegetables), peer and social supports, marketing and promotion, and policies that determine whether a community's design to supports physical activity. In FY 2020 and FY 2021, CDC will continue to implement evidence-based strategies and increase healthy eating and active living through its support for states and communities throughout the United States.