Executive Summary
1994 Mississippi Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

Note: only responses to questions on general health, health risk behaviors for chronic disease (including health care access), and screening behaviors are given here

Health status

• 20.7% report that general health is fair or poor
• 9.6% report that physical health was not good for more than 7 days during the past 30 days
• 9.8% report that mental health was not good for more than 7 days during the past 30 days
• 10.1% report that poor physical/mental health prevented usual activities for more than 7 days during the past 30 days

Cigarette smoking

• 22.1% report that they are current cigarette smokers (have ever smoked 100 cigarettes and now smoke every day or some days)
• 21.3% report that they are former cigarette smokers (have ever smoked 100 cigarettes but do not smoke now)
• 42.1% of current daily smokers report that they have quit smoking for 1 day or longer during the past 12 months

Physical activity/exercise

• 38.4% report that they are physically inactive (HP 2000 Obj. 1.5)
• 67.0% report sedentary lifestyle (sedentary or irregular physical activity profile)
• 14.0% report frequent regular exercise (HP 2000 Obj. 1.3)
• 9.8% report regular intensive exercise (HP 2000 Obj. 1.4)
• 45.1% report that they are using physical activity/exercise to lose weight (or keep from gaining weight)

Diet, body weight, and weight control

• 31.9% of respondents are overweight (BMI >= 27.7 for men, 27.3 for women)
• 18.7% of respondents are obese (BMI >= 30)
• 71.6% report that they are dieting to lose weight (or keep from gaining weight)
• 45.1% report that they are using physical activity/exercise to lose weight (or keep from gaining weight)
• 36.5% are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes (because of obesity/overweight and lack of physical activity/exercise)

Diabetes

• Prevalence of self-reported diabetes (told by a doctor): 5.7%
• 36.5% are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes (because of obesity/overweight and lack of physical activity/exercise)

Fruit and vegetable consumption

• Percent reporting that they eat fruits/vegetables 5 or more times per day: 13.9%

Mammography screening

• 60.8% of women 50-59 years of age have had a screening mammogram within the past year
• 83.8% of women 50-59 years of age have had a screening mammogram within the past two years
• 63.7% of women 60-69 years of age have had a screening mammogram within the past year
• 79.2% of women 60-69 years of age have had a screening mammogram within the past two years

Pap smear screening

• 89.2% of women 18-65 years of age have had Pap smear screening within the past three years

Health care access

• 14.5% report that they have no kind of health care coverage
• 16.6% report that there was a time during the past 12 months that they needed to see a doctor but could not because of the cost