Health and Nutrition of Gaston, NC Residents

Diet Behavior & Nutrition

Forty nine percent of Gaston residents report that their diet is generally healthy. People here have milk to drink or on their cereal 21 times per month. This includes chocolate and other flavored milks, as well as hot cocoa made with milk, and does not count small amounts of milk added to coffee or tea. People living here eat an average of three meals (breakfasts, lunches or dinners) per week that were prepared away from home in places such as restaurants, fast food places, food stands, grocery stores or from vending machines. They get two of these meals from a fast-food or pizza place. People here eat two "ready to eat" foods such as salads, soups, chicken, sandwiches and cooked vegetables per month. They also eat four frozen meals or frozen pizzas on average monthly.

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Oral Health

The average Gaston resident last visited a dentist two years ago (including all types of dentists, such as, orthodontists, oral surgeons, and all other dental specialists, as well as dental hygienists). Fifteen percent of people living here 30 years of age and older, are embarrassed because of their teeth, mouth or dentures. Twenty two percent think they might have gum disease (might have swollen gums, receding gums, sore or infected gums or loose teeth). Gaston residents rate the overall health of their teeth and gums on average at 45 percent. People living here aged 30 years and older, aside from brushing their teeth with toothbrush, use dental floss or any other device that clean between teeth on average three days per week. They also use mouthwash or other dental rinse products to treat dental disease or dental problems an average of three days per week. The average person living here (including children) has 22 teeth.

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Weight

The average height of Gaston residents 16 years and older is 67 inches. The average weight is 181 pounds. Their average BMI (Body Mass Index) is 29. Thirty eight percent of people living here are obese. Fifty percent have ever been obese. Thirty one percent have ever tried to lose weight.

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Drug Use

Sixty four percent of Gaston residents have ever used marijuana or hashish. Twenty two percent of people living here have ever used cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine. Twenty percent have ever used any form of cocaine, such as powder, 'crack', 'free base', and coca paste. Four percent have ever used heroin. Eleven percent have ever used methamphetamines.

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Diabetes

Ten percent of people living in Gaston have ever been told by a doctor or health professional that they have diabetes. Fifty one percent of people had a blood test for high sugar or diabetes within the past three years. Three percent of city residents are currently taking insulin.

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Kidney Conditions-Urology

Gaston residents 20 years and older on average get up to urinate one time at night (from time they go to bed at night until the time they get up in the morning).

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Taste & Smell

Ten percent of Gaston residents above the age of 40 have problems with their ability to smell, such as not being able to smell things or things not smelling the way they are supposed to. Eight percent have been having problems with their ability to taste sweet, sour, salty or bitter foods and drinks. Sixty seven percent of people above the age of 40 have ever had wisdom teeth removed. Twenty eight percent have ever had their tonsils removed. Sixteen percent have lost consciousness because of a head injury. Twenty one percent have ever had a broken nose or other serious injury to face or skull. Forty percent have had two or more sinus infections.

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The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Health Insurance

Seventy seven percent of people living in Gaston are covered by health insurance or some other kind of health care plan.

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Blood Pressure & Cholesterol

Twenty seven percent of people living in Gaston have been ever told by a doctor or other health professional that they had hypertension (also called high blood pressure). Twenty seven percent of people take their blood pressure at home. Forty five percent of people in Gaston frequently check their blood cholesterol. Twenty two percent of people have ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that their blood cholesterol level was high.

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Dermatology

Twenty nine percent of people living in Gaston use sunscreen.

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Mental Health

Twenty seven percent of Gaston residents 18 years old and older have usually little interest or pleasure in doing things. Twenty seven percent often feel down, depressed, or hopeless. Forty two percent of people living here have trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleep too much. Fifty one percent of people often feel tired or have little energy. Twenty nine percent are bothered by poor appetite or overeating. Twenty percent often feel badly about themselves, that they are a failure or have let themselves or their families down. Nineteen percent have trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching TV. Fifteen percent of people living here move or speak so slowly that other people could have noticed, or the opposite - being so fidgety or restless that they have been moving around a lot more than usual. Four percent have thoughts that they would be better off dead or of hurting themselves in some way.

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Prescription Medications

Gaston residents on average take two prescription medicines.

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Alcohol use

Eighty one percent of people living in Gaston have at least one alcoholic drink per month. Nine percent of people living here do not drink alcohol at all. People living here drink alcohol 5.4 days per month on average. They have 6.0 drinks per week. On average people living here have 5 or more drinks on 26 days a year.

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Sexual Behavior

Ninety eight percent of Gaston residents 18 years and older have ever had vaginal, anal or oral sex. Ninety five percent of males have ever had vaginal sex with a woman. Eighty three percent have ever performed oral sex on a woman. Fifty percent have ever had anal sex with a woman. Three percent of males in Gaston have ever had any kind of sex with a man, including oral or anal. Ninety seven percent of females have ever had vaginal sex with a man. Eighty three percent have ever performed oral sex on a man. Thirty six percent have ever had anal sex. Twelve percent of females have ever had any kind of sex with a woman. People in Gaston were 17 years old on average when they had sex for the first time. The average man in his lifetime had any kind of sex with 32 women. He has vaginal sex with 25 women. People living here were on average 22 years old when they first performed oral sex on a woman. In their lifetime they performed oral sex on average on five women. People in Gaston were 22 years old on average when they first performed oral sex on a man. They performed oral sex on average on two men in their lifetime. Twelve percent of people use protection, like a condom or dental dam, while performing oral sex. The average person in Gaston has vaginal or anal sex 55 times a year. Forty nine percent have sex without using a condom. Females in Gaston 18 years and older have had any kind of sex with 10 men on average. They have had eight male vaginal sex partners in their lifetimes. Women here have on average 0.7 female sex partners in their lifetimes. Seventy seven percent of men 18 years old and older are circumcised.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Pesticide Use

Eleven percent of households in Gaston use chemical products in their homes to control fleas, roaches, ants, termites or other insects. Four percent use chemical products in their lawns or gardens to kill weeds.

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Sleep Disorders

Gaston residents 16 years and older usually get seven hours of sleep at night on weekdays or workdays. Thirty percent of them have trouble sleeping.

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Smoking-Cigarette Use

Fifty one percent of Gaston residents currently smoke cigarettes.

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Physical Activity

Twenty one percent of Gaston residents' work involve vigorous-intensity activity that causes large increases in breathing or heart rate, like carrying or lifting heavy loads, digging or construction work for at least 10 minutes continuously. Thirty five percent of people do moderate-intensity activities at work that cause small increases in breathing or heart rate such as brisk walking or carrying light loads for at least 10 minutes continuously. Thirty one percent walk or bicycle for at least 10 minutes continuously to get to and from places. Fifteen percent do any vigorous-intensity sports, fitness or recreational activities that cause large increases in breathing or heart rate like running or basketball for at least 10 minutes continuously. Thirty six percent do any moderate-intensity sports, fitness or recreational activities that cause a small increase in breathing or heart rate such as brisk walking, bicycling, swimming or golf for at least 10 minutes continuously. People living here spend six hours sitting on a typical day (this includes sitting at work, at home, getting to and from places, or with friends, including time spent sitting at a desk, traveling in a car or bus, reading, playing cards, watching television or using a computer). They usually sit and watch TV or videos for about three hours per day. They use a computer or play computer games (including Playstation, Nintendo DS, or other portable video games) outside of work or school for 1.1 hours per day.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Medical Conditions

Twelve percent of Gaston residents have ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that they had asthma. Five percent of people living here has anemia, sometimes called "tired blood" or "low blood". Four percent of people 16 years and older have ever been told by a doctor or other health care professional that they had psoriasis. Thirty five percent are overweight. Nineteen percent of people 60 years and older have difficulties in thinking or remembering that can make a big difference in everyday activities (this does not refer to occasionally forgetting your keys or the name of someone you recently met). This refers to things like confusion or memory loss that are happening more often or getting worse. Thirteen percent of people living in Gaston have ever received a blood transfusion. Nineteen percent have trouble seeing, even when wearing glasses or contact lenses. Twenty nine percent of people 20 and older have arthritis. Four percent have ever been told they had gout. Five percent have congestive heart failure. Four percent have coronary heart disease. Two percent have angina, also called angina pectoris. Five percent have ever had a heart attack, also called myocardial infarction. Four percent have been ever told by a doctor or other health professional that they had a stroke. Five percent have ever had emphysema. Eight percent have another thyroid problem. Four percent have ever had chronic bronchitis. Three percent of people had any kind of liver condition. Ten percent have ever had cancer or a malignancy of any kind.

Summary

The biggest differences compared to state averages have been highlighted with a blue background.

Reproductive Health

Sixty one percent of births in Gaston were vaginal deliveries. Thirty nine percent of deliveries were cesarean. 98.7 percent of deliveries resulted in live births. Fifty eight percent of pregnancies resulted in a delivery. Fifty eight percent of women breastfeed their children. Twenty one percent of women in Gaston have ever had a hysterectomy, including a partial hysterectomy (that is, surgery to remove their uterus or womb). Eleven percent had both of their ovaries removed (either when they had their uterus removed or at another time). Seventy eight percent have ever taken birth control pills for any reason. Nine percent of women are currently taking birth control pills. Nineteen percent have ever used Depo-Provera or injectable birth control to prevent pregnancy. Nineteen percent have ever used female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, including any forms of female hormones, such as pills, cream, patch and injections, but do not include birth control methods or use for infertility.

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Current Health Status

People living in Gaston report their general health condition on average at 54 percent. Four percent of them donate blood. Excluding tests they have had as part of blood donations, 43 percent of Gaston residents have ever had their blood tested for the AIDS virus infection. Eight percent of people living in Gaston are left-handed.

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Consumer Behavior

People in Gaston spend $368 per month on average on food for their families at supermarkets or grocery stores. This is 26 percent of their income. The average family in Gaston spends $68 on food at other stores monthly. This is four percent of their income. They spend $134 on eating out, including cafeterias at work or at school or on vending machines. This is six percent of their income. They also spend $23 monthly on carried out or delivered food. This is one percent of their income.

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Audiometry

People living in Gaston report their general condition of hearing on average at 79 percent. Seventy seven percent of them can usually hear and understand, without the use of a hearing aid or any other listening devices, what a person says without seeing his or her face if that person whispers to them from across a quiet room. Ninety five percent of people can hear a normal voice across a quiet room. Nineteen percent of Gaston population have been bothered by ringing, roaring or buzzing in their ears or head. Forty three percent of people living here have ever had a job where they were exposed to loud sounds or noise. Loud means so loud that they must speak in a raised voice to be heard. Sixteen percent of people in Gaston had off-work exposure to loud noise.

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Preventive Aspirin Use

Twenty nine percent of Gaston residents 40 and older take a low-dose aspirin each day to prevent heart attacks, strokes or cancer.

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Physical Functioning

Twenty two percent of Gaston residents 20 or older have limitations caused by a long-term physical, mental or emotional problems or illnesses keeping them from working at a job or business. Twenty eight percent are limited in the kind or amount of work they can do because of physical, mental or emotional problems. Ten percent have difficulty walking without using any special equipment. Eleven percent are limited in any way because of difficulty remembering or because they experience periods of confusion. Ten percent of people here have health problems that require them to use special equipment, such as a cane, wheelchair, special bed or special telephone.

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