3 Behaviors Plus 4 Diseases Account for 50-60% of SD County Deaths

According to the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency, three lifestyle choices and four diseases account for 50-60 percent of all deaths, and south San Diego fares worse than any other region.

A lack of physical activity, smoking and poor nutrition increase mortality rates from cancer, diabetes, heart disease or strokes and respiratory illnesses like asthma.

The agency also said south San Diego residents have the highest rate of coronary heart disease in the county and are among the least likely to exercise regularly or have consumed five fruits and vegetables a day, the recommended amount.

To combat these risks to human health and promote well being, nonprofit public health groups, San Diego County officials and local residents are making efforts to reverse deadly trends and find long-term solutions.

Elena Quintanar with the County Health and Human Services Agency's South County office will talk health and well-being in Imperial Beach Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Reachout to Families Center on 1237 Elder Ave. 

On Monday, Regional Garden Education Centers were announced as a way to encourage people to grow their own gardens. Classes and hands-on experience in basic, community and school gardening will be available. 

South County residents can seek advice on how to grow their own fruits and vegetables at the Wild Willow Farm on 2550 Sunset Ave., less than a mile from Imperial Beach.

Additionally, on Wednesday evening at 6 p.m., Karan Cooper Greenwald will host a class at the Imperial Beach library to teach people . Greenwald says she grows more than 100 varieties of tomatoes every year.  

The first formal meetings to begin a community garden in Imperial Beach were held last Wednesday and will continue every week at the from 7-8 p.m. Jo Carr, who works with IB Beautiful and helps organize the Farmers Market, is heading up the effort. A total 25 families have already signed up.

"I've been bugging the city about this for 12 years," she said. "I'm just so anxious to get my fingers dirty."

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Carr hopes to have a garden take root on city-owned property at the corner of 10th Street and Donax Avenue by fall. First, funding must be secured and a proposal must be submitted to the city and approved.

Carr grew up on a farm in Connecticut, has decades of experience in agriculture and is most anxious to provide healthy, affordable food to families and seniors.

"The answer has to come from citizens themselves to step up and provide the opportunity themselves," she said.

On May 6, Health Communities South Region, a coalition made up of public health and wellness advocates across south San Diego held a press conference at Suzie's Organic Farm to promote solutions to fight chronic disease which include:

• Reduce the number of fast food, tobacco and alcohol outlets.
• Increase the number of community gardens.
• Increase access to nutritious and affordable food.

Rene Santiago, deputy director of San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency, pointed to the county's 10-year plan called Live Well San Diego as a way to battle death.

"That requires that we build better health and that we also have residents that feel safer in their communities and that we have thriving business. So all three things, health, safety and thriving need to be part of Live Well San Diego."

Santiago called Suzie's Farm, which provides food to local school districts and the Imperial Beach Farmers Market, a great example of the type of business the county wants to ensure has long-term sustainability.

"We're trying to say, 'How do we start a different connection that has these farms marketing, packaging and distributing locally grown food that's healthy, that's nutritious, to be ready and conveniently available to local residents?'

"Because we know that people will choose what's easy and convenient. And also affordable," he said.