Report shows obesity on rise, smoking slightly down

Counties are being encouraged to compare how they score on a report card issued by the Florida Public Health Institute on Tuesday that measures a county’s health.

The report shows that St Johns, Seminole and Sarasota counties are the healthiest counties based on life expectancy and how healthy people are while they are alive. Putnam, Dixie and Union are some of the most unhealthy counties.

The overall ranking is a reflection of two main categories of health: the mortality rate -- how long someone lives -- and the morbidity rate, which is how healthy they are while alive. The morbidity rate takes several categories into consideration including socioeconomic factors, as well as smoking status, level of exercise and obesity. A new category taken into consideration was the number of fast food restaurants in a county

The analysis is conducted by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and, in Florida, distributed in Florida by the Florida Public Health Institute.

In general, the lower the ratio of doctors and dentists to patients and the lower the uninsured population, the higher the county ranked in health. Counties with higher income levels and higher educational levels also scored better than their counterparts.

The analysis shows that obesity levels are up. Overall an average 24 percent of the population was obese in 2011 compared to an average 26 percent in 2012. Hamilton County has the most obese population, according to the analysis, with 38 percent of the population exceeding acceptable height-to-weight charts.

The analysis shows that the percent of uninsured residents in the state is an average 25 percent. Leon County and St Johns County have the lowest percentage of uninsured residents, with 17 percent of the population without coverage. Hendry has the highest percentage of residents without insurance, with 37 percent of the population under age 65 without insurance.

Residents in Alachua County -- the home of Shands Healthcare -- have have the most physicians per resident with one doctor for every 381 residents. Leon County has the second most number of primary care doctors to patients with one doctor for every 633 residents.

Overall, an average 19 percent of the population smokes. Miami Dade county has the least number of smokers with just 14 percent having a smoking habit while Taylor County leads the state in smoking population. Thirty-two percent of Taylor County residents smoke.

The statewide average of 19 percent is actually a dip from 20 percent in 2011 and 21 percent in 2010.