The recently released State Government’s Self Reported Health Status 2011–12 report focused on nine key factors influencing the health of residents within 73 cities, regional and shire councils and local authority areas in Queensland.

In the report Brisbane came up on top, with the highest percentage of adults reporting good or very good quality of life as well as the highest percentage of adults with good, very good or excellent health.

The report also revealed we are more likely to eat our recommended two serves of fruit a day, we have the lowest percentage of adults who have diabetes or high blood sugar and the lowest percentage of adults who were overweight or obese.

The city also has the lowest percentage of daily smokers and the lowest percentage of adults who were sunburnt in the last year.

Griffith’s School of Public Health Dr Neil David John Harris says he could definitely believe Brisbane residents could be the healthiest in the state.

“Brisbane offers a safe and healthy environment and the environment people live in really matters.

“Brisbane has good parks, walking tracks, low pollution and heaps of available food options,” he says.

Dr Harris mentions that Brisbane is the largest city in Queensland, with the government having larger capacity to supply facilities for recreation to support healthy lifestyle choices. “Southbank is one area in particular which is great for these facilities. Brisbane is blessed,” he says.

Brisbane weren’t the only superstars in the report, with the Gold Coast being the most active region, the Sunshine Coast having the lowest number of obese people, Ipswich having the lowest number of risky lifetime drinkers and Logan having the lowest percentage of adults reporting single alcohol consumption that was risky per week.

Dr Harris says there is no surprise Brisbane could have the best health in the state, with Brisbane having changed considerably in the last 20 years or so, especially with all the increases in infrastructure around the city.

Source
By Candice Jackson
bmag
Friday 31 January, 2014