St. Charles County Ranked First in State for Health

St. Charles County is among the healthiest in the state according to a national study released last week.

The No. 1 ranking for health factors takes into account social and economic factors, access to clinical care, the outdoor environment and health behaviors like obesity, smoking and excessive drinking.

The study was released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute. The rankings are based on information from government health surveys and vital statistics.

“It’s hard to lead a healthy life if you don’t live in a healthy community,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in a press release. “The County Health Rankings are an annual check-up for communities to know how healthy they are and where they can improve. We hope that policymakers, businesses, educators, public health departments and community residents will use the Rankings to develop solutions to help people live healthier lives.”

St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment spokesman Doug Bolnik said this rating reflects the high socioeconomic levels of the county and the impact that has on community health. He said community members have access to parks and recreational facilities nearby.

“Our community is so strong,” he said. “Because of the healthy lifestyles, we don’t have to fight specific diseases.”

According to the report, the residents have access to 53 recreational facilities across the county. Some of the more rural areas across the state have access to just one recreational facility.

St. Charles County had the top ranking for social and economic factors, with a 90 percent graduation rate and 74 percent of residents attending some college.  The county has about 18 percent single parent households, which is lower than state average at 32 percent.

On some health behaviors, St. Charles County ranked near state average.

About 22 percent of the adult population in St. Charles County reported excessive drinking, which was higher than the state average of 17 percent. Excessive drinking was defined as having more than four for women or five for men alcoholic drinks on a single occasion or drinking more than one drink per day for women and two for men on average each day.

St. Charles County also reported 18 percent of adults who smoked, compared to the 24 percent state average. About 29 percent of adults are obese, compared to 30 percent state average.

St. Charles County ranked third in the state for health outcomes, which considers both length of life and quality of life. To see the complete breakdown, visit www.countyhealthrankings.org.