Download the full report here.

NORTHAMPTON – Diabetes and obesity are on the rise in Hampshire and Franklin counties, according to a Cooley Dickinson Hospital-commissioned report that can now be downloaded here.

The 2011 Community Health Assessment report is the result of a two-year process led by Cooley Dickinson Hospital's Healthy Communities Committee, a subcommittee of the Hospital's Board of Trustees. 

Among the findings:

• Increases in diabetes and obesity mirror state-wide trends. In 2008, the percentage of people who had been diagnosed with diabetes in Hampshire and Franklin counties was approximately 7%, up from 5.5% in 2004.
• Adults who are overweight or obese has been increasing. As of 2009, 51.3% of adults in Hampshire County and 58% of adults in Franklin County were overweight or obese, compared to 57.5% in Massachusetts.
• Higher proportions of people in Hampshire and Franklin Counties consumer five or more fruits and vegetables a day as compared to the state as a whole, but still less than 50% consume the recommended amount per day.

The Healthy Communities Committee has sought to understand the health status of the community by collecting data, building relationships with local partners, and engaging the community in conversations about building a healthier community.

"This report will help us to better understand where the areas of need are in our community. It will help Cooley Dickinson to focus its efforts to reduce the burden of disease for communities and populations that need it most," according to Jenny Reynolds, Chair of the Healthy Communities Committee and member of the Board of Trustees.  

The report, which includes data based on surveys from Amherst, Easthampton and Northampton residents, is also intended as a tool for local organizations seeking comprehensive health data, while filling a gap identified by many working in health-related fields.

"Until now, there has been no recent comprehensive assessment conducted and disseminated locally. We plan to update this report periodically to continue to provide people with the best available data in a format that is accessible and useful for a variety of purposes," says Sarah Bankert, co-editor of the report and Prevention Specialist at the Western Mass Center for Healthy Communities, a program of Cooley Dickinson Hospital.

The report can be downloaded from the Cooley Dickinson website, www.cooley-dickinson.org/about/community-benefits and click on Community Health Assessment 2011. To request a paper copy of the report, contact Sarah Bankert at sarah_bankert@cooley-dickinson.org.