Jul 2, 2008 4:31 pm US/Pacific
Report: 8 Valley Counties Unhealthiest In Calif.
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ―
When it comes to the unhealthiest counties in the state, one group suggests looking at the San Joaquin Valley first.
A study rated California counties on several factors, including air quality, fitness, access to healthcare and safe playgrounds. Among the 10 counties scoring the worst, eight are in the Valley.
San Joaquin is ranked fifth, Stanislaus County is eighth, and Lake County hits at ninth, just ahead of Los Angeles.
The results were put together by the Have Our Say Coalition, who says the neighborhood conditions are contributing to an obesity epidemic.
"They get more frequent asthma attacks, they have more change of developing a liver disease called fatty liver, [and] they have problem with arthritis because they are not able to bear the weight," said Dr. G. Prakasam from Sutter Medical Center.
The coalition is asking the state to increase funding in neighborhoods that lack parks, playgrounds and grocery stores.
"If your park is only five minutes walking distance, versus [having] to take the bus before reaching the park, your interest in the park goes down," Dr. Prakasam said.
The report also makes a push for public officials to be more involved in designing communities that are pedestrian and bicycle-friendly.
The problems have already captured some attention in the legislature: There are a couple bills in the legislature that would get public health agencies involved in land development decisions.
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