County backs health initiative
PHOTO BY STEVE STEINER
Nat West urges Polk County Commissioners to support the "Building a Healthier Polk" three-year initiative, its goal to reduce the county obesity rate to equal or better the state average.
PHOTO BY STEVE STEINER
As Nat West and Colleen Mangan look on, Polk County Commissioner Todd Dantzler speaks on the three-year initiative "Building a Healthier Polk." West is part of the committee involved in the project. Mangan is a community health improvement planner with the Polk County Health Department.
PHOTO BY STEVE STEINER
Nat West (left), who is involved with the "Building a Healthier Polk" initiative, receives a proclamation from Polk County Commissioner Todd Dantzler. Looking on is Colleen Mangan, Community Health Improvement Planner with the Polk County Health Department.
The obesity rate of Polk County residents (both children and adults) is higher than the state average, retired Winter Haven Hospital executive Nat West told Polk County commissioners at its Jan. 8 regular BOCC meeting.
“We know the actual statistics of health in Polk County,” West said. Obese adult Polk County residents total 37.6 percent, compared to the state average of 27.2 percent. West added that and other figures came from four separate assessments. “We have a long way to go.”
