Since 2008, the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health has been conducting surveys on the health of Wisconsin citizens.
Survey of the Health of Wisconsin, or SHOW, explores individual health behaviors and choices, collects physical measurements, biological samples and considers healthy and unhealthy features of Wisconsin neighborhoods. SHOW is expanding its surveying radius by 10 new counties over the next two years, including into Milwaukee County.
"The whole state is facing some challenges that relate to health," says SHOW co-director Kristen Malecki.
SHOW has surveyed over 3,500 Wisconsin residents so far. The data collected will be used to monitor the health of Wisconsin communities and to design programs to will improve the health of residents.
As researchers continue to pull together a snap shot of Wisconsin's physical and mental health, they are discovering some trends. The preliminary data collected shows that 10% of adults surveyed are diabetic, 35% have high blood pressure, 39% are considered obese and 74% say they want to lose weight. 13.2% of the adults surveyed say they face food insecurity; having easier access to unhealthy foods than they do fresh food.
Findings suggest that exposure to more green space in everyday life can positively influence mental health patterns, potentially impacting the way city planners design communities in the future.
Initially, only adults were surveyed. In July of 2014, in response to the growing concern for children and children’s health, children were included in the survey. The study has already found high rates of childhood obesity.
