Nov 26, 2007 7:07 pm US/Eastern
L.I. Named Amongst Healthiest Places For Women
Ranked Second In U.S. By Self Magazine
LONG ISLAND, N.Y. (CBS) ―
The secret is out: Long Island is being called one of the healthiest places in the country for women. But not so fast, CBS 2 has why you may want to think twice before packing your bags.
Women who were surveyed said they love Long Island's beaches, the abundance of seafood, the great schools for their kids and all the role model coaches leading the way on and off the field. Devon Carroll is a Long Island student.
"There is so much to do here. You can go to the Hamptons and no matter the weather, you can go jog on Jones Beach," said Carroll.
These are just some of the reasons why Long Island now ranks as the second healthiest place for women, both mentally and physically, in the nation, ranking only after San Francisco in a study just released by Self Magazine.
"I was just running. I think people are much more aware of fitness, eating better, eating healthier," said Colleen LaGreca, a mother of 3 children.
Editors considered 50 categories from depression rates, to hiking trails, to safety and well-being.
"You have a robust police department and an aggressive DA's office that prosecutes quality of life crimes," said Nassau's District Attorney, Kathleen Rice.
Farming, bird watching, ecology and the environment were some of the other categories ranked in the survey.
When compared with other big cities, Nassau and Suffolk reported:
-78% fewer rapes
-56% less suicide
-96% have health coverage
But all this comes with a price: the cost of living is among the highest in the country, there's a very long commute to work and above average rates of breast cancer.
The Big Apple ranked eighth, and according to the survey, New Haven and Milford, Conn., were the "most sexually healthy" cities in the nation. (Women there have 53 percent fewer sexually transmitted diseases than average, according to Self.)
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