By
American Heart Association Press Release
.
Published: Mon, May 19, 2008 - 5:05 am
Last Updated: Tue, May 20, 2008 - 1:57 am
(MOBILE, May 19, 2008) - Heart disease, the No. 1 killer of women nationwide, may hit closer to home than many realize. Today, the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women movement released a study revealing the nation's 10 most - and least - heart friendly cities for women. In the study, Mobile was ranked No. 122 out of 130 in the category of metros with populations of 560,000 and fewer.The study examined the heart health of the 200 most populous U.S. metro areas, which are home to nearly 75% of the nation, and divided the cities into three categories according to population. Regardless of metro size, all rankings were based on the heart friendly benefits each city had to offer and the personal lifestyle choices of its residents. The research analyzed 22 factors for each location including smoking, obesity, cardiac mortality rate and regular exercise amongst women. Metros were divided as follows:
* Mega metros: 1.45 million population and larger.
* Mid-sized metros: within the 560,000 to 1.45 million population range.
* All other metros: population of 560,000 and fewer.
Mobile scored well (in the top 25%) for its low alcohol consumption and high number of cardiologists, hospital beds and teaching hospitals per capita. Areas that need improvement are the high rate of obesity, lack of regular exercise and poor eating habits. Other cities in Mobile's category include:
Most Heart Friendly Cities for Women
1. Boulder, CO
2. Portland-So. Portland-Biddeford, ME
3. San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
4. Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
5. Ann Arbor, MI
6. Santa Crux-Watsonville, CA
7. Charlottesville, VA
8. Provo-Orem, UT
9. Bellingham, WA
10. Barnstable Town, MA
Least Heart Friendly Cities for Women
1. Spartanburg, SC
2. Terre Haute, IN
3. Anderson, SC
4. Montgomery, AL
5. Florence, SC
6. Fort Smith, AR-OK
7. Charleston, WV
8. Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
9. Mobile, AL
10. Jackson, MS
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in all 50 states, even those who scored well on the study. A heart friendly city does not guarantee a heart friendly lifestyle, and the reverse is also true. Heart disease is largely preventable if women work to lower their risks by making changes to everyday lifestyle.
There are some basic steps you can be taken to make a positive impact on the individual's and family's health, and city's status on the list. The "Go Red Heart Style Guide" offered at www.GoRedForWomen.org is a great place to start, with actionable plans, tips, recipes, a free magazine subscription and more to help women live a heart healthy lifestyle.
Here are some simple ways be heart healthy, regardless of your zip code:
* Eat healthy: Learn the basics about a heart healthy diet with Go Red tools and tips for balanced nutrition, delicious recipes and more.
* Get physically active: Regular, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity improves cardiovascular fitness and helps reduce risk of heart disease and stroke. Women can incorporate physical activity into their daily routines with Choose To Move, a 12-week physical activity and nutrition program that can be customized to fit every lifestyle. Register at www.GoRedForWomen.org.
* Know your numbers: Tracking blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose and weight numbers can help to keep them in a healthy range. Women are encouraged to learn more about their 10-year personal risk for heart disease by taking the Go Red For Women Heart CheckUp at www.GoRedForWomen.org.
* Build community: The Go Red For Women online community offers women a chance to share heart health stories and connect with others who share a passion for women's heart health nationwide.
* Make a difference: Support the HEART For Women Act and other policies to help make our nation's cities heart healthier for all. Visit www.GoRedForWomen.org to access tools to help communicate directly with members of Congress.
Go Red For Women recognizes that disparities exist within each city due to variances in access to care, race, socio-economic status and neighborhood structure. Even if your city falls at the top of the list, specific challenges may affect your city's residents differently. Remember that everyone can use the "Go Red Heart Style Guide" to create a personal action plan - no matter where you call home.
For more information about Go Red For Women, the Go Red Style Guide or to see city rankings, please visit www.GoRedForWomen.org.
About Go Red For Women
Since 2004, Go Red For Women has captured the energy, passion and intelligence of women to work collectively to wipe out heart disease - the No. 1 killer of women. We want millions of women across America to take heart disease personally. Go Red For Women engages women and the men who love them to embrace the cause. Healthcare providers, celebrities and politicians also elevate the cause and spread the word about women and heart disease. For more information about Go Red For Women, please call 1-888-MY-HEART (1-888-694-3278) or visit GoRedForWomen.org. The movement is nationally sponsored by Macy's and Merck & Co., Inc.
About the American Heart Association
Founded in 1924, the American Heart Association today is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of heart disease and stroke. These diseases, America's No. 1 and No. 3 killers, and all other cardiovascular diseases claim nearly 870,000 lives a year. In fiscal year 2006-07 the association invested more than $554 million in research, professional and public education, advocacy and community service programs to help all Americans live longer, healthier lives. To learn more, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit americanheart.org.
About Sperling's BestPlaces
For nearly 20 years, Bert Sperling has been helping people find their own "Best Place." As the foremost creator of these studies, his work appears in national media nearly every month, and he recently appeared on the Today Show to introduce his new book, Cities Ranked and Rated. His firm, Sperling's BestPlaces, puts facts about cities and living in the hands of the public, so they can make better decisions about best places to live, work, retire, play, or relocate. More information is available at www.bestplaces.net.
About the Study Methodology
The research analyzed 22 factors for each location in the following categories:
* Risk indicators - factors that may lead to heart disease (predictive)
* Health status - metrics that indicate the current state of heart health (present day)
* Heart disease statistics - measurement of heart disease in the population (mortality)
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I think it’s pretty ridiculous to rate a city based on the dieting habits of it’s women. It’s not like heart-friendly food isn’t offered in Mobile, it’s up to the consumer to make the right choices in eating. Mobilians are raised eating fried, fatty, and otherwise SOUTHERN foods. WTF, it’s the South, thats what we known for.