Skip to main content

Las Vegas Ranked One Of The Unhealthiest Cities In America

New York New York hotel on the Strip
A recently conducted study that focused on overall health and wellness of metropolitan cities has deemed Las Vegas as one of the unhealthiest cities in the United States. Further research points to an increased risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease for residents of Las Vegas, as well as other cities that ranked similarly for overall health.

Well, Just How Bad Did Las Vegas Rank?

As reported by ABC Channel 13 Action News, Las Vegas placed 39th on the American Fitness Index in terms of health and wellness. Before you get too excited, 50 is the total number of cities analyzed in the study, which means Las Vegas is sitting 11th from the absolute bottom. A list compiled by the American College of Sports Medicine ranked the top 50 ‘metropolitan’ cities according to levels of chronic disease conditions, preventive health measures, healthcare access and "community resources and policies that encourage healthy and fit lifestyles." Las Vegas scored a 41.1 out of a possible 100 points, and scored only 40 the previous year
. The survey also cited health improvement priorities, including an unusually high mortality rate due to cardiovascular disease. Some factors that may be contributing to this extremely high number are a lower percent of residents with health insurance, fewer farmers' markets, a high smoking percentage, and fewer primary healthcare facilities per capita. The only cities to have performed worse than Las Vegas were: Tampa, Birmingham, Houston, Dallas, Indianapolis, Memphis, Louisville, San Antonio, Detroit and Oklahoma City. You can view the complete list here, if you so desire.

Okay. What Does This Mean for Las Vegas Residents?

A study recently done by Gallup Poll indicated that those living in cities with overall unhealthy ratings are at much greater risk of heart attacks than those living in cities where health and fitness are community priorities. Risk factors considered "widely present" in unhealthy cities such as Las Vegas include smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, excessive alcohol use, excessive stress and high cholesterol. It will probably be very difficult for Las Vegas, the “city of sin”, to shy away from some of these behaviors; namely the smoking and alcohol use.

So How Can We Improve Our Ranking?

Luckily there are ways to improve our overall health without having to forego “the fun stuff”. The Well Being Index suggests that Las Vegas and other unhealthy cities work to create a culture that focuses on physical health and wellness, starting at a young age. Providing education on heart disease and cardiovascular issues through school programs is an excellent starting point to reach our younger residents. Offering individual health consultations for students is also a great option for stressing the importance of cardiovascular wellness to our youth. City leaders, local businesses and other local dignitaries are highly encouraged to get involved with these programs to take steps towards improving community health as well.
Let's work together to improve the health of our community! Leading by example is a great way to get through to your friends, family, colleagues, and even complete strangers. There are plenty of available resources to help Las Vegas get back on the right track.
Jessica Bailey is a freelance writer and nursing student who writes for a variety of health blogs. She gets much of her heart health information and inspiration from the heart surgeons at CVsurgnv.com. Jessica currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

What is Phen375 - Detailed Review

What is Phen375?  Launched in 2009, phentemine 375 (or Phen375) is a diet product, which has been widely confirmed by the users, not only as an effective weight loss solution, but also as an effective means to improve the overall health and well-being. The user experience indicates that Phen375 is an appetite suppressant and potent fat burner which does not produce the side effects typical of other tablets diet. What is the product made for? Phen375 is a dietary supplement designed to help people who want to lose weight, burn fat faster, increase your metabolism, and generally improve your overall quality of life. What are the ingredients used in Phen375? Phentemine 375 combines five quality ingredients that have been tested under optimized conditions, following the highest standards of purity. Users report that the effects of the ingredients accelerate metabolism are immediate. The first ingredient is L-carnitine, which is involved in the transport of fatty acids into the cells during...

Top 10 Foods To Help You Lose Weight

People have been trying to lose weight since the beginning of time in all probability. Many of you think a "diet" is the best way to shed extra pounds. The fact is there are dozens of different diets and it's hard to find one that works. There is an easy way to lose weight and still eat healthy and filling foods. You just have to choose the right foods! Foods to Help You Lose Weight The following is a list of foods that are not only good for you, but aid in weight loss. You will see this list contains foods that are tasty and nutritious. Here is the list: 1. Lean beef Humans are meat eaters. It's been that way for thousands of years. Choose unprocessed meat if you can, such as beef from grass-fed cows. 2. Fish Fish is very healthy, being full of Omega-3 fatty acids and other healthful nutrients. Eat fish at least once per week. Salmon is a good choice for fish. Make sure your fish choice does not contain mercury and that it is not being overfished. 3. Eggs Eg...

Diet And Slimming Pills Misconceptions

Let’s face it. There are a lot of misconceptions about diet and slimming pills. With all of the rave and buzz many people are bound to get the wrong idea. Marketing hype can often make people blind to the reality that many people see, and what is actually achievable. This article aims to dispel these myths and ensure that consumers know full and well what is, and isn’t believable. 4 Of The Biggest Misconceptions About Diet And Slimming Pills You Will Magically Lose Weight One of the biggest misconceptions about diet and slimming pills is that they instantly help you to lose weight. This in fact isn’t true. If it was, there would be no obesity in America or Europe what so ever. The reality is that weight loss pills act as a supplement to your diet, and are often used in correspondence to your new workout regime. This is one of the ways they work and can be quite effective at helping you to lose more weight than you normally would. There are different types so be sure to check also ...