Americans living shorter lives because of smoking and obesity report says

Report: U.S. life expectancy lagging because of smoking: Obesity also cited as contributing factor
by Charlotte Tucker

Life expectancies in the United States lag behind some other high-income countries less because of things Americans are doing now than because of behaviors they have engaged in the past.
Specifically, U.S life expectancies are lagging because of smoking. According to a report released by the National Research Council in January, heavy smoking in the past five decades is shortening American life spans today...

...Over the past 25 years, life expectancy at age 50 in the United States has been increasing, but at a much slower rate than in some other high-income countries. According to National Center for Health Statistics 2007 data, the average life expectancy at birth today is 75.3 years for men and 80.4 years for women. To contrast, in Japan men live to an average age of 79.2 years and women to 86 years, as of 2006.

A group of seniors dances at a wellness center in Washington, D.C., in July 2010. While the average life expectancy for Americans is 77.9 years, the nation lags behind some other high-income countries because of factors such as past smoking...

... If U.S. obesity trends continue, they may offset life expectancy gains that are predicted to occur in coming decades, a report found.

The relationship between obesity levels and obesity risks "bears watching as an important factor in future longevity trends in the United States," the authors wrote.

Read the full article:
http://thenationshealth.aphapublications.org/content/41/2/1.2.full

View the report:
"Explaining Divergent Levels of Longevity in High-Income Countries," is available at www.nap.edu.

Social Host Ordinance progress

The Advocacy Committee is moving right along with progress on Social Host ordinance development. Co-chairs Barry Busby and Joe Yana attended a conference with Nina Emerson and Julia Sherman to discuss statewide policy strategies on alcohol. They also attended the DA and police chiefs meeting for the county and sense the time is right for local leaders to consider this addtion. Stay tuned!

Good job Barry and Joe!

Lance Armstrong Visits Madison

Below is a link to the video of Lance Armstrong speaking in Madison about his support for Wisconsin's smoke-free law. This newest version cuts together media from different sources, including a picture of Lance's rally leading up to the law's passage.


You can get to the video by clicking this link.
http://vimeo.com/14820595

Bars vs Grocery Stores: See How WI Compares

A map was recently compiled of bars and grocery stores and WI as you can guess, falls into the "more bars than grocery stores" category.

To view the map, click the link below. Also, if you have a few moments, read some of the comments. Many are from people that used to or still live in Wisconsin.

http://flowingdata.com/2010/03/02/where-bars-trump-grocery-stores/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

-emily and lisa

re:TH!NK's Good Drug's Gone Bad train-the-trainer presentation was a success!

Slick roads and blustery weather did not prevent 122 professionals from attending re:TH!NK's train-the-trainer presentation at Sunnyview Expo Center February 24. People came from both Winnebago County and all across WI to hear more about perscription drug trends and how they can team up to prevent it.

re:TH!NK's goals of the training were to provide knowledge, support, and resources to a target group of youth workers who could deliver a prevention message to youth on Perscription Drug Abuse. Good Drugs Gone Bad community toolkits were distributed free of charge.The training included a navigational session that taught attendees how to use it and they plan to. Coalition Coordinator Lisa Brown summarized, "100% of the people who attended and evaluated our Good Drugs Gone Bad training say they would recommend the toolkit presentations to a colleague. They are committed to returning to their school or agency and planning presentations themselves. This is a great start! Attendees shared they felt competent and empowered to deliver lessons on Preventing Perscription Drug Abuse to youth." For further information please contact lbrown@co.winnebago.wi.us

Presenters included Lisa Brown and Emily Dieringer re:TH!NK coalition coordinators who were joined by Brad Dunlap Project Director of the Lake Winnebago MEG unit,Fred Umland of Winnebago County Juvenile Intake, Steve Herman(Ret.)of Winnebago County Sheriff Office, Jason Weber Town of Menasha PD , and Aaron Zemlock of Menasha PD.