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Last updated on Thursday, March 17, 2016
(INDIANAPOLIS) - Three-fourths of Indiana residents have adequate access to locations for physical activity, yet nearly a third of the state’s adults are obese, according to the 2016 County Health Rankings issued Wednesday by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
The rankings, which are in their seventh year, compare the health of nearly every county in the nation and allow states to see how their counties compare on factors that influence health, including education, housing, jobs, smoking and access to healthy food and exercise opportunities. Many communities use the rankings to identify initiatives that can help improve the health of their residents.
"One of the best ways for Indiana counties to improve their rankings is to encourage residents to increase their physical activity," said State Health Commissioner Jerome Adams, M.D., M.P.H. "Obesity can lead to health problems that include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. All of those conditions are preventable with healthy habits that start early in life."
The Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity at the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) urges Hoosiers to eat a proper diet with more fruits and vegetables and fewer foods high in fat, sugar or sodium, drink more water and get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week. Children should have at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day.
According to the 2016 rankings, the five healthiest counties in Indiana, starting with most healthy, are Hamilton, Hendricks, Boone, Johnson and Hancock. The five in the poorest health, starting with least healthy, are Scott, Fayette, Starke, Grant and Sullivan counties.
To learn more about the county rankings, visit countyhealthrankings.org
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