Executive Summary
1991 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

Cigarette smoking

• 24.4% report that they are current cigarette smokers (have ever smoked 100 cigarettes and now smoke every day or some days)
• 19.8% report that they are former cigarette smokers (have ever smoked 100 cigarettes but do not smoke now)
• 54.3% of current daily smokers report that they have quit smoking for 1 day or longer during the past 12 months

Physical activity/exercise

• 42.6% report that they are physically inactive (HP 2000 Obj. 1.5)
• 67.3% report sedentary lifestyle (sedentary or irregular physical activity profile)
• 5.2% report regular intensive exercise (HP 2000 Obj. 1.4)
• 50.6% report that they are using physical activity/exercise to lose weight

Diet, body weight, and weight control

• 27.8% of respondents are overweight (BMI >= 27.7 for men, 27.3 for women)
• 15.2% of respondents are obese (BMI >= 30)
• 83.5% report that they are eating fewer calories to lose weight
• 50.6% report that they are using physical activityexercise to lose weight
• 32.7% 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): 7.0%
• 32.7% are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes (because of obesity/overweight and lack of physical activity/exercise)

Hypertension awareness

• 29.8% of respondents report that they have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure
• 92.2% have had their blood pressure taken by a health professional within the past year
• 96.1% have had their blood pressure taken by a health professional within the past 2 years
• 97.6% have had their blood pressure taken by a health professional within the past 5 years

Cholesterol awareness

• 58.1% of respondents have ever had a blood cholesterol check
• 80.6% have had their blood cholesterol checked within the past year
• 93.2% have had their blood cholesterol checked within the past 2 years
• 98.0% have had their blood cholesterol checked within the past 5 years
• 25.4% of those tested report that they have been told by a health professional that they have high blood cholesterol

Fruit and vegetable consumption

• Percent reporting that they eat fruits/vegetables 5 or more times per day: 9.1%

Mammography screening

• 63.8% of women 50-59 years of age have had a screening mammogram within the past year
• 80.3% of women 50-59 years of age have had a screening mammogram within the past two years
• 68.9% of women 60-69 years of age have had a screening mammogram within the past year
• 86.2% of women 60-69 years of age have had a screening mammogram within the past two years

Pap smear screening

• 90.5% of women 18-65 years of age have had Pap smear screening within the past three years

Health care access

• 20.4% report that they have no kind of health care coverage
• 17.1% 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