Oh Chattanooga! With our love of Southern cuisine, deep fried food, and grilling, it’s no surprise that we were voted one of the unhealthiest cities in the United States. Ranking 132nd overall out of 150, Chattanooga only beat out main cities like Detroit and Memphis when it came to our national rankings. Our love of food is what really lowered our score in the food ranking, pushing us all the way to 147th out of a possible 150, proving that our love of good ol’ comfort food has really pushed the envelope when it comes to our health ranking.
The survey consisted of a variety of categories including food, health and fitness to name a few. Chattanooga also ranked poorly in the health category, scoring the 144th slot out of a possible 150. The health category took into account the number of practicing health professionals in the area, insurance coverage for its citizens and the cost to access medical attention. Sadly premature death was also considered a contributing factor to Chattanooga’s failing score.
While Chattanooga finished almost last in food and health, it faired surprisingly well in fitness. The survey ranked Chattanooga as 79th in the country for fitness, showing that our residents are, despite having a poor health score, committed to fitness endeavors. This isn’t surprising when you factor in our sunshiny climate.
The Vanderbilt School of Medicine commented on the scores as “unsurprising as well.” Lack of health care professionals combined with less healthy eating establishments have all contributed to the low ranking score.
Bigger issues seemed to plague this survey such as access to transportation. Inadequate access to transportation in Chattanooga, directly led to a lesser quality of life for persons attempting to access medical care. Many residents, who required medical attention, were simply unable to receive it due to transportation accessibility issues.
The survey has been an eye opener to the people who call Chattanooga home. While the survey was not performed to help assist city officials to strategize better, it has provided some necessary building blocks for future development.
One of the largest contributing to factors to Chattanooga’s failing score was that of mental health care and instances of substance abuse. It is estimated that Chattanooga does not have enough mental health professionals and substance abuse specialists per capita to meet the needs of Chattanooga’s citizens. The survey saw that many west coast cities such as San Francisco and Seattle were ranked the highest in the country overall with most of the West Coast dominating the highest rankings.
So what can Chattanooga do to bolster its rankings in the coming years? The city should focus on better access to health care, including attracting more health care providers. As well, the residents of Chattanooga are urged to eat healthier, participate in more fitness activities and seek medical attention when needed.
Getting out and having fun in Chattanooga shouldn’t make a positive lifestyle change hard- – ranked 102 for green spaces, Chattanooga’s parks and public areas can make a day out on the town a fun, fitness adventure.
