Island Residents Among State’s Healthiest

A research study conducted by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released findings Tuesday in a new national report that ranks counties by the health of their citizens. The report is based on data from several sources that include Medicare claims, the census and a national telephone health survey.

According to an article in the Boston Globe, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket residents were among the healthiest in Massachusetts.

The Globe reported that, “The researchers examined two dozen factors that influence health, such as poverty, education levels, rates of smoking, and even the percentage of restaurants in a region that serve fast food.”

The study reported that Hampden and Suffolk counties, which include Springfield and Boston, are the least fit in the state. In addition to the Islands, the counties of Norfolk and Middlesex, suburban counties of Boston, have some of the state’s healthiest residents.

Some of the factors, according to the Globe, that contributed to the healthiness of Island residents included more access to recreational facilities, the rate of residents who graduated high school (93%) and a lower percentage of restaurants that serve fast food.

“Geoff Wilkinson, senior policy adviser to Massachusetts’ commissioner of public health, said he hopes the study helps residents better understand that several key factors that affect their well-being are things they can control, such as smoking and exercise,” reported the Globe.