Healthy Ohioans Not So Healthy

Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Topics: Health
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Seven years after former Governor Taft started the Healthy Ohioans program, Ohioans are now less healthy. ideastream's Dan Bobkoff has the story.

The Healthy Ohioans program was supposed to encourage the public to take better care of their health. But since the program started in the year 2000 incidence of diabetes and strokes are actually up slightly across the state. More residents are suffering from Coronary Heart Disease. The only bright spots are lower numbers for smoking and being overweight. That’s according to an Associated Press analysis.

Ohio department of health spokesman Jay Carey says changing habits takes time.

Jay Carey:  We did not get into this shape overnight, and we’re not going to get in shape overnight.

Carey says, traditionally, not a lot of money has been spent on attacking these problems.

Governor Strickland has rolled out his own Healthy Ohio program, tasked with finding the best ways to prevent chronic diseases, and tackle health disparities between classes and racial groups. Carey expects this newer program to have a bigger impact on health.

Jay Carey: What the state is trying to do is give people the tools they need, set policies, and provide the information and awareness to help people live healthier lives by making healthier choices.

Beyond that, he says, good health is still an individual’s responsibility.