Survey says: Lincoln is nation's healthiest city

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By CARA PESEK / Lincoln Journal Star

Lincoln is the healthiest city in the United States — sort of.

According to a survey of 712 people in Lancaster and Seward counties who responded to an annual survey conducted by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, 92.8 percent of them rated their health as good, very good or excellent, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

That’s higher than anywhere else in the United States, according to the CDC.

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Joey Wright, 7, leads the way down the Holmes Lake Dam Trail with his father, Marshall, and dog Curly close behind in September 2007. (LJS File)

Joey Wright, 7, leads the way down the Holmes Lake Dam Trail with his father, Marshall, and dog Curly close behind in September 2007. (LJS File)

However, the numbers are to be taken with a grain of salt, said CDC spokeswoman Karen Hunter.

The sample size of those who completed the survey varies from state to state, Hunter said, so it’s not accurate to compare the numbers, she said.

Plus, the purpose of the survey isn’t to rank the most- and least-healthy parts of the country, she said.

Rather, the purpose of the survey — known as the Behavorial Risk Factor Surveillance System — is to help state health departments pinpoint major health problems their residents might be facing — as well as areas in which education and other preventative measures seem to be paying off.

In the Lincoln area, the addition of bike lanes, as well as the presence of a large biking and walking trail system may be behind a boost in physical activity in recent years, said Dr. Joann Schaefer, chief medical officer for the state of Nebraska.

In addition, she said, many Lincoln employers have done a good job of encouraging their workforce to be active and take care of their health. Two local businesses, Duncan Aviation and Lincoln Industries, have received national awards for their employee health programs, she said.

“Corporate wellness is very entrenched in Lincoln,” she said.

Residents of Lincoln and the surrounding area have lower smoking, binge drinking and obesity rates than that national average, according to survey results. They also are more likely to get flu shots and mammograms than the national average.

But the state isn’t without its problems. Past surveys have indicated that Nebraskans in general consume fewer fruits and vegetables than recommended. Eating fruits and vegetables helps prevent colon cancer — a disease that Nebraskans also have a relatively high rate of, Schaefer said.

But by being aware of that, she said, the state can hopefully take some steps to increase fruit and vegetable consumption — and decrease colon cancer.

And that’s why the survey is so useful, she said.  “It’s a really good indicator for us."

Steve Frederick, manager of the health data and evaluation division at the Lincoln-Lancaster Health Department, agreed the survey was a good barometer of Lincoln’s general health.

He, too, agreed the system wasn’t perfect.

Nebraskans, and Midwesterners in general, tend to be an optimistic bunch, he said. Often, survey respondents rate their health as “very good” or “excellent,” even if they have health problems.

“It’s amazing how positive we are,” he said.

In addition, he said, the state conducted the survey via landline telephone, which means that those who use only cell phones were excluded from the sample.

Since many younger people don’t have landlines, he said, the survey likely skewed a bit older than it would have otherwise. And, because younger people tend to be more likely to binge drink, for example, than older populations, that data might not be entirely accurate.

Next year, though, cell phone users will be included in the survey, he said.

Even with its problems, though, the survey is a good indicator of general health, Frederick said.

And though Lincoln may not be definitively No. 1 in terms of public health, it still rates high in terms of how healthy its residents feel, he said.

“It’s fair to say that Lincoln is in the top tier of cities for that response,” he said.

Reach Cara Pesek at 473-7361 or cpesek@journalstar.com.