Women’s health may be in decline

More women are obese, diabetic and hypertensive than just a few years ago, the New York Times reports; more are testing positive for chlamydia (a sexually transmitted disease linked to infertility), binge drinking (consuming five or more drinks at a single occasion within the last month) and not getting screened for cervical cancer. This information comes from a new report by the National Women’s Law Center and Oregon Health and Science University, which gives the U.S. a grade of “Unsatisfactory” on goals set by the government’s Helathy People 2010 initiative. Screening rates for colorectal cancer and high cholesterol have improved since the last report, in 2007, and less women are smoking, or dying of stroke or coronary heart disease. Still, one-quarter of women are sedentary and get no leisure-time physical activity. Most don’t eat five fruits and vegetables a day.

New York Times