Colorado Springs has been ranked by Men's Health magazine andGallup as one of the fittest, healthiest cities in the country.
The problem? The statistics don't always support the hype.
A Robert Wood Johnson Foundation report ranks El Paso Countynowhere near the top of the state's healthiest regions. Instead,it's ranked 29th out of 56 counties for overall health outcomes and33rd for health factors such as number of children in poverty. Thecounty is ranked 36th for health behaviors such as smoking and 48thfor its physical health environment, which covers topics such as airquality.
So how can economic developers promote a healthy lifestyle as theNo. 1 reason to locate a company here?
Mike Kazmierski, head of the Regional Economic Development Corp.,said his organization markets the city 'based on fitness, notnecessarily on health.'
'We have almost 50 national sports headquarters,' he said. 'For acommunity our size that is extraordinary and is an indication of thenatural attraction we have to organizations that value sports andfitness.'
The United States Olympic Committee also is here, and the area isa major hub for amateur sports.
Operation 6035, another economic development organization, namesthe health and fitness area as one of five sectors that economicdevelopers should focus on.
Kazmierski already is.
'We have created an industry team comprised of executives in thesports, health and wellness community,' he said. 'We are targetingnational sports organizations, sporting goods manufacturers, medicaldevice manufacturers and e-health related companies.'
The EDC also attends trade shows to build relationships in thehealth and wellness sector and is creating marketing materialdirected at companies in that space.
But elite athletes do not a county make.
The county's smoking rates are higher than the state average, andso are its premature death rates, according to the JohnsonFoundation study, which was conducted in February along with theUniversity of Wisconsin.
The study said people here take more sick days. There are fewerprimary-care doctors, and the Springs sees more air pollution thanthe rest of the state. Also, only 27 percent of the population hasaccess to healthy food, compared to 37 percent in the rest of thestate.
Colorado still remains 'one of the healthiest states in thenation,' Kazmierski said.
'Colorado Springs is a city that has such a large and diversepopulation, so rather than comparing us to much smaller communities,a more appropriate comparison would be to see how Colorado Springscompares to other similarly sized cities across the United States.'
Kazmierski, expressing his skepticism, pointed out that DenverCounty -- 'a nationally recognized city for health and fitness,' --is ranked 47th for outcomes and 50th for behaviors in the study.
Denver, however, doesn't promote itself as a wellness or sportscenter.
The top five Colorado counties in overall healthy outcomes areDouglas, Eagle, Boulder, Pitkin and Broomfield. For behavior, thetop five are Pitkin, Douglas, Routt, Boulder and Summit.
The report ranked counties across the nation on key factors thataffect health such as smoking, obesity, binge-drinking, access toprimary care providers, rates of high school graduation, rates ofviolent crime, air-pollution levels, liquor store density,unemployment rates and number of children living in poverty.
Mike Moran of the Colorado Springs Sports Corp. also had hisdoubts about the study, saying it doesn't match up with what othersurveys say about the area.
The area might not have the reputation for runners like Boulderdoes, but it is an extremely friendly city for spectator sports,Moran said.
'We have people participating from 4 years old to 85 years old,'he said, referring to the Rocky Mountain State Games, held annuallyin Colorado Springs. 'And participation isn't down -- people likehaving a low-key, friendly place to compete.'
Dr. Bernadette Albanese, medical director for the El Paso CountyDepartment of Health and Environment, said the county would beconducting its own health survey during the next 18 months. She saiddoing so would give it a more accurate picture of the community'shealth.
'We're not only going to talk about the statistics,' she said.'We're going to find out why the numbers are what they are. We'regoing to look at underlying causes. That way, you have more thanjust numbers.'
The department is receiving state money to perform its survey,which is in its early stages.
The report it issues will be similar to its 2006 study aboutlife, death and disease in El Paso County, though Albanese said itwill be more comprehensive.
'When we're finished, we'll know what problems we need to focuson,' she said. 'We'll be able to project our goals for the nextthree to five years.'
