The results of an intensive survey of beach cities residents about their emotional and physical health will be released today and reportedly includes a few surprises: local residents are angrier than Detroit and more stressed out than New Orleans.
The Gallup/Healthways Well Being Index, a measurement tool that will be used as the Vitality City public health initiative gets underway locally next month, shows that that while local residents are on average slightly more physically healthy than the rest of the nation, they are enduring more emotional duress than the national average.
Dr. Lisa Santora, the Beach Cities Health District chief medical officer, said that beach cities residents would receive an overall “C” grade if the results were graded on a one to 100 scale like a school test.
“As you can imagine, a lot of people assume the beach cities would be uniquely healthy and have better well-being than the rest of the country,” Santora said. “The final scores do show us better in some areas….but the levels of stress, worry, and anger are higher than Detroit and New Orleans.”
The BCHD is partnering with Healthways Inc to bring the Blue Zones Vitality City initiative to local residents. The campaign works on numerous levels to help make healthier choices a more convenient part of the local environment. Healthways, a well being company that specializes in workplace health, will provide employers access to free workplace health analysis. Experts in menus, grocery store layout, bike-ability and walk-ability will likewise work to effect changes promoting greater health.
Santora said that beach cities residents have more access to healthier choices but also tend to have longer commutes and greater financial stress than many other areas.
“A larger percentage of our population has a really substantial and significant commute to work, and it’s not an easy commute,” she said. “It’s a long drive on really stressful roads.”
Joel Spoonheim, the director of the initiative, said that the Well Being Index will be used to form the priorities of the Vitality City program locally. “Having that information allows us to put together a plan to address the information that is coming in – really, a blueprint,” he said.
The Well Being Index will update its information each of the three years of Vitality City, Spoonheim said. He noted that beginning April 1, employers will begin having access to workplace health analysis, and throughout the next month more programs will be unrolled.
For more information, see www.vitalitycity.com or easyreadernews.com/vitality-city. ER
