|
New report is the first to document health of all counties nationwide |
|
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute have released the first ever set of reports that rank the overall health of every county in all 50 states. Released on February 17, 2010, the report provides each county with an in-state ranking on the health and longevity of its residents. Counties are ranked on key factors that affect health such as smoking, obesity, binge drinking, access to primary care providers, distribution of healthy food outlets within the county, rates of high school graduation, rates of violent crime, air pollution levels, liquor store density, unemployment rates and number of children living in poverty. The County Health Rankings show that people who live in healthier counties tend to have higher education levels, are more likely to be employed, have access to more health care providers and have more access to healthier foods, parks and recreational facilities.
For childhood obesity researchers, the 50-state report can be a useful tool for assessing the health of a county, compiling comparative health data between states and among counties and using the rankings as a broad measure of local or state obesity-related policies.
|
Healthy Eating Research