America is the most powerful country in the world. 331.9 million people live in the United States, which harbors the homes of global talent and fame. Although this title is clearly renowned and sought after, why is America unhealthy?

According to the World Population Review, which takes into account pollution rates, infrastructure, healthcare, education systems, food and water quality, and mortality rates, America has a rating on the Bloomberg Global Health Index of 73.02, ranking 33rd on a global scale. In comparison, the top ten countries are Spain, Italy, Iceland, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Australia, Singapore, Norway, and Israel—which are rated from 92.75 to 88.15, respectively.

Why is America so behind in comparison to the rest of the world, despite being a more modern and developed country? There are five major considerations in the ranking of the world’s healthiest countries: pollution, utilities, healthcare, food quality, and education.

In terms of pollution, there are very relevant changes that are being enforced by the American federal government. With the approval of the Willow Project- which enables drilling in Alaska, and the constant air pollution from burning fossil fuels in factories- it is clear that Americans are a long way from making major improvements in terms of environment quality.

However, it is important to take into consideration that projects being proposed to improve America’s pollution control require major economic investments. These projects would likely be tax funded and are the major reason for controversy and conflict within the general public. Yet it is critical to consider that the global warming crisis has taken a swift turn for the worse, with a countdown in Times Square of New York City counting down the time until there is no return. Many scientists believe that this time limit will run out around the year 2030.

Emily Salazar ‘24, an AP Environmental Science student explains, “I think people should care about climate change because it’s something that affects all of us, even if we don’t realize it at first. If we continue to ignore the issue and don’t work to make positive change, we put our own survival at risk — I think a lot of people forget that the earth is our only home.”

Changes that Americans can make in their lives are using public transportation, or any form of transportation that does not use gas. This can introduce the ‘infrastructure’ component to America’s ranking on the global health scale. In comparison to many countries, America funds projects to improve their public transportation quality but finds it still unusable.

Three main considerations come to mind: safety, cleanliness, and convenience. America has a relatively high crime rate, especially with the consideration of gun control and mass shootings. Legal changes would have to be enforced to ensure the safety of American citizens in public settings. Also, the social norm for American citizens does not include cleanliness, as public transportation systems are regularly found worn out and dirty. Finally, convenience in public transportation is not a major concern, yet the prior two factors are likely to turn the majority of the population away from using buses, subways, or trains.

Along with public transportation, healthcare is another aspect in American lives that is not free. In fact, it is one of the highest costs of US personal spending almost every year. Access to healthcare is extremely difficult, and receiving any form of medical attention results in concerningly high debts.

In order to maintain their health (and hopefully avoid the high prices of the hospital), Americans must focus on their diets and physical health. However, research from Northeastern University’s Network Science Institute reports that 73% of the US food supply is ultra-processed. America’s obesity rate only grows with every passing year.

Along with these health concerns, ultra-processed foods are found to be associated with the development of cancer. America ranks fourth in the global scale of cancer rates in 2023. It is evident that the unhealthy food that is supposed to fuel healthy bodies in America are only causing harm.

When asking interviewees from Canada what the most apparent culture shock is while they were visiting America, they answered, “The signs that are in the restaurants that warn about cancer and reproductive harm. They’re really scary to see.”

In California, Proposition 65 Warnings are plastered onto the wall of most restaurants and cafes. While this label is limited to the state of California, there is no doubt that other states in the U.S. also distribute and manufacture their food products with chemicals or dangerous substances as well.

In order to combat the dangers of an unhealthy diet, exercise and frequent movement must be integrated into one’s lifestyle; however, America is notoriously unwalkable and dependent on its car culture. In addition, office jobs, which are one of the most common occupations in America, have a deteriorating effect on the human body. It takes a physical toll to sit in front of a screen for hours, and many adults are overworked without time to stand up from their chairs. This is also experienced by students across the country as studies show that desk oriented occupations have an effect on lower back pain, not to mention the heavy backpacks that students carry across campus.

Evidently, most Americans are likely unaware of the dangers that their food supply can cause them. In fact, younger children might be unaware of critical, global issues due to the United States’ low teacher population.

All around the country, hundreds of thousands of teachers have quit their jobs. This quickly increasing rate is predicted to only grow due to low pay and other factors in the education system that are unappealing to educators.

Educators play a critical role in the development of a population. Without proper teachers, students across the country are not receiving an education of the quality that is expected of a globally established nation. This plays into their knowledge of their own health and the wellbeing of their country.

America cannot protect the health of its citizens. There is a necessary shift that must occur for us to focus on the wellbeing of Americans. There is no worth in protecting a country without a future. We must work on internal improvements before our external portrayal can be strengthened on a global scale.