Healthiest City in the U.S.? Burlington

I just learned that according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Burlington, Vermont is the "healthiest city" in America.

Apparently, 92% of Burlingtonians claim that they're in good health, exercise more than average and are less likely to be obese or have diabetes.

Seems like our various enlightened diets are getting some of the credit. According to an AP article: "And though college staples like pizza are common [in Burlington], healthier foods are also popular. Grass-fed beef is offered in finer restaurants, vegan options are plentiful, and the lone downtown supermarket is run by a co-op successful in selling bulk rice and other healthy choices to low-income residents."

Comments

[Justin Boland]

That's awesome! Even if it turns out their self-assessment was wrong, at least they felt healthy and happy at the time. Also further proof that Vermont is working far better than the rest of the US and we should be considering raising our quality of living even further by claiming independence again.

[Carlie]

Before getting too self-congratulatory about Burlington's press status as the healthiest city in the U.S., we should keep in mind that Burlington, like most run-of-the-mill cities in America, still fluoridates its tap water. A number of high-caliber studies conducted in the two years show definite correlations between water fluoridation and chronic kidney disease, water fluoridation and osteosarcoma (bone cancer) particularly in young men, water fluoridation and IQ decreases of up to half a point. The most substantial of these studies was a 500-page meta-study conducted by the National Research Council, entitled "Fluoride in Drinking Water." What we have always known is that water fluoridation causes dental fluorosis, the eating away of the enamel of the teeth that shows up as white or brown spots and is thought by certain experts to be indicative of more pervasive problem bone problems. Over thirty percent of children in the U.S. currently suffer from dental fluorosis. 98% of Europe has ceased to add or has never added fluoride compounds to the water. What makes fluoridation an even blacker mark on Burlington's healthy reputation is that the type of fluoride being added to the water is an industrial waste byproduct of the phosphate fertilizer industry (hydrofluorosilic acid), rather than pharmaceutical grade sodium fluoride. No research has ever been conducted to determine the effects of industrial waste fluorosilicates on people's health. The reason that fluoride is added to the water is purportedly to stop tooth decay, however, data collected by the American Dental Association itself shows no correlation between water fluoridation rates and decline in tooth decay throughout the U.S.. This is because fluoride is typically most effective at treating and preventing cavities when swabbed directly onto the surface of the teeth, rather than ingested. The addition of industrial waste fluorosilicates to Burlington's drinking water constitutes a mass medication of the municipality's residents which is neither appropriate to need nor takes into account the growing body of evidence that implies detrimental health effects from these compounds. Please read the new scientific research for yourself at www.swabvt.org and take a moment to sign the petition to get the question of whether we should be adding this substance to our water put on the ballot for March 10th. We are SWAB VT, The Safe Water Advocates of Burlington, Vermont, a concerned citizens group newly reformed around the issue of water fluoridation. Watch for and participate in the unfolding of this watershed issue. Educate yourselves.

[Foodista.com]

This is still great news. If Burlington can do it, so can the other states. Being healthy is not just about what you eat or drink, it also depends on your lifestyle, activities, and state of mind :)

[los angeles cosmetic dentists]

Thank you for bringing up this very important matters,all i know is there no research has ever been conducted to determine the effects of industrial waste fluorosilicates on people's health.

by: florence

[student aid]

Thank you for the nice healthiest city article wirting The spring festival highlights the wide array of wellness activities and youth sports available to children and families at the YMCA of Burlington County, featuring interactive games and program demonstrations and Family Swim. Additional activities include a rock climbing wall, an obstacle course, a bounce house, arts & crafts and face painting, courtesy of Lenape High School art students. Adults can enjoy healthy refreshments, car seat safety checks, and a variety of exhibits by the local police, EMS and fire department student aid.