Chronic diseases and other preventable health issues in the United States have increased significantly over the last three decades. The same trends exist here in San Mateo County. Get Healthy is dedicated to making the healthy choice the easy choice, but we have a long way to go. The data below informs where to focus our work by presenting information on access to healthy foods, the safety of streets for walking and biking and presence of liquor and tobacco stores by city. It also helps us understand how hard it is to be healthy in these environments by presenting data on obesity and overweight, physical fitness, and soda consumption.

Community Health Profiles

A community health profile answers the questions, “What does the health status of our community look like?” and “How healthy are our residents?” This information helps us to understand the major health challenges facing our residents and prioritize action. The 2012 San Mateo County Community Health Profiles capture the health of the 20 cities that make up San Mateo County with a focus on preventable diseases. Each profile presents data for a specific city and compares it to the county as a whole. Select a city below to view the Community Health Profile for that city.

Atherton health profile
Brisbane health profile
Belmont health profile
Burlingame health profile
Colma health profile
Daly City health profile
East Palo Alto health profile
Foster City health profile
Half Moon Bay health profile
Hillsborough health profile
Menlo Park health profile
Millbrae health profile
Pacifica health profile
Portola Valley health profile
Redwood City health profile
San Bruno health profile
San Carlos health profile
San Mateo health profile
South San Francisco health profile
Woodside health profile

Data by Topic

Liquor Store Density
Tobacco Store Density
Retail Food Environment Index
Mortality and Average Age of Death

Childhood Obesity

34% of children in San Mateo County are overweight or obese. This will lead to a lifetime of serious health issues including high blood pressure, risk of diabetes, some types of cancer, cardiovascular disease and even shorter lives. South San Francisco has the highest rates of overweight and obesity among children at 47%.
Childhood Obesity Data by City

Physical Fitness

Only 33% of children in San Mateo County meet basic fitness standards. This is according to FITNESSGRAM® – a physical fitness test (PFT) taken by students in grades five, seven and nine across California. The test has six parts and together they are a good measure of the health of children in San Mateo County.
Physical Fitness Data by City

Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety

Dangerous roads deter many residents from enjoying the benefits of biking and walking. Each year, 80,000 to 120,000 pedestrians are injured and 4,600 to 4,900 die in motor vehicle crashes in the United States.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Injuries by City

Sugar Sweetened Beverage Consumption

50% of San Mateo County children drink one or more sodas a day. There is a strong link between drinking sugar sweetened beverages such as soda and obesity. Adults who drink one or more sodas per day are 27% more likely to be overweight or obese than adults who do not drink soda.
Sugar Sweetened Beverage Consumption by City.

Youth Health

The San Mateo Health System partnered with StarVista to support the San Mateo County Youth Commission in developing and publishing the San Mateo County 2014-15 Adolescent Report, which describes the status of health and wellness for youth in San Mateo County. Using data from multiple sources, including the San Mateo Youth Commission’s Adolescent Needs Survey, the California Healthy Kids Survey, the US Census and the California Department of Education, the Youth Commission was able to assess the health needs of San Mateo County youth and determine relevant policy solutions to address their findings. The Youth Commission was involved over several years in all aspects of the research and report development; from creating the survey, to analyzing the data and making the final policy recommendations.