Bronx ranks unhealthiest in NY for 5th year
For the fifth year in a row, the Bronx received the title of unhealthiest county in New York state. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ranked the borough last among 62 counties. The recurring designation
News 12 Staff
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Mar 17, 2016, 6:24 AM
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Updated 2,968 days ago
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For the fifth year in a row, the Bronx received the title of unhealthiest county in New York state.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ranked the borough last among 62 counties. The recurring designation even spurred the borough president to launch a health campaign last year dubbed "Not 62."
Doctors at St. Barnabas Hospital say the latest last-place finish comes as no surprise.
Dr. Rajan Gurunathan says Bronx residents exhibit some of the worst health behaviors -- bad diets and lack of exercise. Health conditions like asthma, diabetes and obesity also plague the borough.
But Gurunathan says there may be hope in the future. Although the ranking did not improve over the last year, air quality in the Bronx did, and so did screenings for breast cancer and diabetes.
"I think this is a long road, and I think it's important we recognize this is a marathon -- not necessarily a sprint," Gurunathan says. "We're looking at this as a call to action as opposed to a label."
