Manassas City Among Healthiest in Virginia

Manassas is among the top 10 healthiest cities in Virginia, according to a report released this week.

Manassas ranks number 10 out of 134 jurisdictions surveyed, according to the report.  The information was published by County Health Rankings.

According to the County Health Rankings website, the survey focused on many different factors outside of health care that contribute to a healthy (or not) lifestyle, including individual health behaviors, education and jobs, and the environment.

The rankings were the result of a collection of 50 reports (one from each state) that highlighted the fact that where we live, learn, work, and play influences how healthy we are and how long we live.

The rankings were developed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and looked at a variety of measures that affect health: the rate of people dying before age 75, high school graduation rates, access to healthier foods, air pollution levels, income and rates of smoking, obesity and teen births.

 The information is based on the latest data provided by the individual counties and cities. The results of the survey allow residents to compare how their county/city is doing in areas like diabetes screening rates or number of uninsured adults to national benchmarks, according to the Rankings.

“We need to use the information from the Rankings to shine a spotlight on where we need to improve so we can take action to address our problems,” said Patrick Remington, MD, MPH, director of the County Health Rankings project and Associate Dean for Public Health at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

In the past, the reports have led to some communities taking action, such as passing smoke free laws (right here in Va.), boosting educational opportunities for young children (healthy eating, more physical activity) or pushing for healthier grocery stores and farmer’s markets.

Researchers also looked at additional factors that could affect people’s health including, healthy behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors and physical environment.

It’s hard to lead a healthy life if you don’t live in a healthy community,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A. president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “The County Health Rankings are an annual check-up for communities to know how healthy they are and where they can improve. We hope that policymakers, businesses, educators, public health departments and community residents will use the Rankings to develop solutions to help people live healthier lives.”