Chatham-Kent has been identified as a leader in death rates due to heart disease. Chatham-Kent has a 78% higher death rate due to heart disease than the provincial average.

In April 2001, Statistics Canada identified Chatham-Kent as the second highest area in Canada with deaths due to ischemic heart disease based on county level data (307.8 per 100,000).

The impact of cardiovascular disease in this area has been well documented by the Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. In May 1999, these two organizations released a series of "Hot Spots" reports for areas of Ontario experiencing rates of cardiovascular disease in excess of the Ontario average, including Chatham-Kent.

In response to these two reports (for Chatham-Kent and Essex), the Essex, Kent and Lambton District Health Council completed a fact-finding report and then in December 2000, initiated a cardiovascular care needs assessment.

Southwest Region Health Information Partnership (SRHIP) October 2001 reports that based on the years 1993 through 1997 that Chatham-Kent had the highest age-standardized mortality rate for circulatory disease in Southwestern Ontario

Possible explanations for the higher mortality rates are the tendencies for residents to eat more fat, to be less active and to smoke:

6% of Chatham-Kent residents get less than 30% of their calories from fat, as compared to 11% of Ontario residents.

32% of men and 24% of women have an unhealthy weight as shown by a Body Mass Index greater than 27. In Ontario, 31% of men and 22% of women have a BMI greater than 27.

41% of men and 40% of women in Chatham-Kent are regularly active (active for at least 15 minutes, 3 or more times per week), as compared to Ontario rates of 50% and 43% of men and women respectively.

30% and 28% of Chatham-Kent men and women smoke daily. In Ontario as a whole, 25% of men and women are smokers.

For more information contact the Community Heart Health Coalition, Project Co-ordinator at   352-7270 or CKhealthyliving@chatham-kent.ca