Health and Nutrition of Fort Lewis, WA Residents

Diet Behavior & Nutrition

Forty seven percent of Fort Lewis residents report that their diet is generally healthy. People here have milk to drink or on their cereal 19 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 five 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 three 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 five frozen meals or frozen pizzas on average monthly.

Summary

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

Oral Health

The average Fort Lewis 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). Seventeen 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). Fort Lewis residents rate the overall health of their teeth and gums on average at 48 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 28 teeth.

Summary

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

Weight

The average height of Fort Lewis residents 16 years and older is 68 inches. The average weight is 184 pounds. Their average BMI (Body Mass Index) is 28. Thirty five percent of people living here are obese. Forty five percent have ever been obese. Thirty five percent have ever tried to lose weight.

Summary

Drug Use

Sixty five percent of Fort Lewis residents have ever used marijuana or hashish. Twenty one percent of people living here have ever used cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine. Nineteen percent have ever used any form of cocaine, such as powder, 'crack', 'free base', and coca paste. Two percent have ever used heroin. Ten percent have ever used methamphetamines.

Summary

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

Diabetes

Thirty four percent of people had a blood test for high sugar or diabetes within the past three years. One percent of city residents are currently taking insulin.

Summary

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

Kidney Conditions-Urology

Fort Lewis 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).

Summary

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

Taste & Smell

Nine percent of Fort Lewis 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. Three percent have been having problems with their ability to taste sweet, sour, salty or bitter foods and drinks. Fifty eight percent of people above the age of 40 have ever had wisdom teeth removed. Sixteen percent have ever had their tonsils removed. Thirteen percent have lost consciousness because of a head injury. Nineteen percent have ever had a broken nose or other serious injury to face or skull. Thirty six percent have had two or more sinus infections.

Summary

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

Health Insurance

Sixty five percent of people living in Fort Lewis are covered by health insurance or some other kind of health care plan.

Summary

Blood Pressure & Cholesterol

Fifteen percent of people take their blood pressure at home. Twenty two percent of people in Fort Lewis frequently check their blood cholesterol.

Summary

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

Dermatology

Thirty percent of people living in Fort Lewis use sunscreen.

Summary

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

Mental Health

Twenty two percent of Fort Lewis residents 18 years old and older have usually little interest or pleasure in doing things. Twenty three percent often feel down, depressed, or hopeless. Forty one percent of people living here have trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleep too much. Forty nine percent of people often feel tired or have little energy. Twenty seven percent are bothered by poor appetite or overeating. Seventeen 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. Fourteen 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. Three percent have thoughts that they would be better off dead or of hurting themselves in some way.

Summary

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

Prescription Medications

Fort Lewis residents on average take one prescription medicines.

Summary

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

Alcohol use

Eighty two percent of people living in Fort Lewis have at least one alcoholic drink per month. Ten percent of people living here do not drink alcohol at all. People living here drink alcohol 4.5 days per month on average. They have 5.6 drinks per week. On average people living here have 5 or more drinks on 26 days a year.

Summary

Sexual Behavior

Ninety four percent of Fort Lewis residents 18 years and older have ever had vaginal, anal or oral sex. Eighty nine percent of males have ever had vaginal sex with a woman. Eighty one percent have ever performed oral sex on a woman. Forty eight percent have ever had anal sex with a woman. Seven percent of males in Fort Lewis have ever had any kind of sex with a man, including oral or anal. Ninety six percent of females have ever had vaginal sex with a man. Eighty eight percent have ever performed oral sex on a man. Forty two percent have ever had anal sex. Fifteen percent of females have ever had any kind of sex with a woman. People in Fort Lewis were 16 years old on average when they had sex for the first time. The average man in his lifetime had any kind of sex with 15 women. He has vaginal sex with 14 women. People living here were on average 19 years old when they first performed oral sex on a woman. In their lifetime they performed oral sex on average on four women. They have had 0.5 anal sex partners in their lifetime. People in Fort Lewis were 17 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. Fourteen percent of people use protection, like a condom or dental dam, while performing oral sex. The average person in Fort Lewis has vaginal or anal sex 84 times a year. Fifty percent have sex without using a condom. Females in Fort Lewis 18 years and older have had any kind of sex with 10 men on average. They have had nine male vaginal sex partners in their lifetimes. Women here have on average 0.5 female sex partners in their lifetimes. Seventy eight 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

Eight percent of households in Fort Lewis use chemical products in their homes to control fleas, roaches, ants, termites or other insects. Three percent use chemical products in their lawns or gardens to kill weeds.

Summary

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

Sleep Disorders

Fort Lewis residents 16 years and older usually get seven hours of sleep at night on weekdays or workdays. Twenty one percent of them have trouble sleeping.

Summary

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

Smoking-Cigarette Use

Sixty four percent of Fort Lewis residents currently smoke cigarettes.

Summary

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

Physical Activity

Twenty nine percent of Fort Lewis 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. Forty four 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 seven percent walk or bicycle for at least 10 minutes continuously to get to and from places. Thirty eight 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. Fifty one 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 two 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 1.8 hours per day.

Summary

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

Medical Conditions

Ten percent of Fort Lewis residents have ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that they had asthma. Two percent of people living here has anemia, sometimes called "tired blood" or "low blood". Two percent of people 16 years and older have ever been told by a doctor or other health care professional that they had psoriasis. Twenty six percent are overweight. Eighteen 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. Five percent of people living in Fort Lewis have ever received a blood transfusion. Twelve percent have trouble seeing, even when wearing glasses or contact lenses. Three percent have another thyroid problem. Two percent have ever had chronic bronchitis.

Summary

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

Reproductive Health

Fifty eight percent of births in Fort Lewis were vaginal deliveries. Forty two percent of deliveries were cesarean. 99.7 percent of deliveries resulted in live births. Fifty six percent of pregnancies resulted in a delivery. Sixty four percent of women breastfeed their children. Seventy four percent have ever taken birth control pills for any reason. Twelve percent of women are currently taking birth control pills. Twenty nine percent have ever used Depo-Provera or injectable birth control to prevent pregnancy.

Summary

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

Current Health Status

People living in Fort Lewis report their general health condition on average at 60 percent. Seven percent of them donate blood. Excluding tests they have had as part of blood donations, 44 percent of Fort Lewis residents have ever had their blood tested for the AIDS virus infection. Eight percent of people living in Fort Lewis are left-handed.

Summary

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

Consumer Behavior

People in Fort Lewis spend $342 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 Fort Lewis spends $86 on food at other stores monthly. This is seven percent of their income. They spend $154 on eating out, including cafeterias at work or at school or on vending machines. This is 12 percent of their income. They also spend $30 monthly on carried out or delivered food. This is two percent of their income.

Summary

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

Audiometry

People living in Fort Lewis report their general condition of hearing on average at 85 percent. Eighty eight 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 eight percent of people can hear a normal voice across a quiet room. Thirteen percent of Fort Lewis population have been bothered by ringing, roaring or buzzing in their ears or head. Forty five 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. Twenty percent of people in Fort Lewis had off-work exposure to loud noise.

Summary

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

Preventive Aspirin Use

Thirteen percent of Fort Lewis residents 40 and older take a low-dose aspirin each day to prevent heart attacks, strokes or cancer.

Summary

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

Physical Functioning

Seven percent of Fort Lewis 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. Ten percent are limited in the kind or amount of work they can do because of physical, mental or emotional problems. Five percent are limited in any way because of difficulty remembering or because they experience periods of confusion.

Summary

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