Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Region’s Health Checkup Results Less Than Stellar

Locator map of the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre Metropolitan Statistical Area in the northeastern part of the of . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WILKES-BARRE, PA — Northeastern Pennsylvania should be concerned about its health.

Luzerne and Lackawanna counties possess a “hard-living” population that is predominantly overweight, smokes and drinks too much, has easy access to illegal drugs, has a rising increase in mental-health issues and is living in poverty, according to data released Tuesday at the Community Health Needs Assessment forum sponsored by Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center.

Teri Ooms, executive director at the Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development in Wilkes-Barre, gave a presentation to about 6o people representing various agencies and health care facilities that showed the area’s needs and offered recommendations to improve health care, increase services and retain patients who seek care outside the area.

Read more: http://timesleader.com/news/local-news-news/1358272/Regions-health-checkup-results-less-than-stellar

Experts: Excess Sugar Consumption Leads To A Host Of Diseases

Editor’s note:  All things in moderation.  Interesting article.

(MCT) Dr. Robert Lustig’s YouTube lectures about the dangers of sugar have raised a few eyebrows in recent years and even drawn some criticism.

But the pediatric endocrinologist’s proclamations are supported by research his team has done at the University of California, San Francisco, with steady confirmation from other scientific studies linking sugar with chronic disease and early death. Among his points are:

1. Sugar is poison.

2. Sugar is sugar and unhealthy in any form.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/health/Experts_Excess_sugar_consumption_leads_to_a_host_of_diseases.html#sPl0fOcS1xjBS5DE.99

Reading Area Ranked 10th In Country In Heart-Attack Rate

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Berks County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Doctors in the Reading area scrambled to treat several patients who suffered heart attacks last weekend.

Berks Cardiologists treated six people for heart attacks at the area’s two local hospitals, said Dr. Andrew Waxler, a cardiologist with the Spring Township-based practice.

The number of heart attacks was higher than usual, but hardly unprecedented, he said.

“I can’t say we’re noticing more heart attacks recently,” Waxler said.  “But I can say we are noticing a lot of them.”

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=495585

Berks Slips In Annual Statewide Health Ranking

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Berks County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For the first time in three years, Berks County slipped three spots in the annual health ranking of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.

But while Berks dropped to 17th best for health outcomes, the overall health outlook for residents remained much the same.

The statistics used to determine the rankings – low birth weights, premature deaths and residents’ reports of being in fair or poor physical or mental health – were nearly identical to last year’s.

“I think overall we have a lot of work to do,” said Mary Hahn, St. Joseph Regional Health Network’s vice president of strategy and business development.  “A lot of it does start beyond the walls of hospitals and doctors offices.”

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=462649

Nearly One Third Of Pennsylvania Residents Obese

Image via Wikipedia

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Center For Disease Control has released their 2009 U.S. state by state obesity rates.  Not good news for many Americans. 

Colorado had the lowest obesity rate at 18.6 percent.  Only Washington DC had a rate below 20 percent, coming in at 19.7 per cent. 

Seven states had rates over 30 per cent.  Mississippi topped the chart at a whopping 34.4 percent!

Pennsylvania’s obesity rate was 29.4 percent in 2009.

To see all the charts and the article, click here:

http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html#State