Amid today’s turbulent times, there are significant, yet often underreported, trends suggesting that positive changes are happening across a variety of domains in the U.S. and globally. These insights—covering health improvements, fiscal resilience, workforce revitalization, increased middle-class wealth, and agricultural advancements—show that progress is taking root, even in unexpected places.
1. Healthier Lifestyles and Longer Lives in America
America’s struggle with obesity is at the crossroads of numerous social and health crises, making recent drops in obesity rates particularly encouraging. Obesity had surged to an alarming 42% by 2020, driving major public health issues and negatively impacting life expectancy. Extreme obesity, in fact, is more detrimental to life expectancy than smoking, high-risk sports like base jumping, or even military service. In addition to life expectancy, obesity touches national security, with 71% of young Americans in 2018 considered unfit for military service due to obesity, poor educational attainment, or histories of drug use and criminality. This problem mirrors historical cases such as the British Boer War, when the inability to recruit fit soldiers spurred public health reforms—a reminder that crises can drive positive change.
Subscribe!