BAKERSFIELD, Calif (KERO) — Kern County Public Health holds a press conference at Toss It downtown. A salad bar that is 1 of 35 locations, that are healthy certified in the county. KCPH encourages residents to eat healthier.
- 79% of Kern County's Adults are either overweight or obese. With almost 50% being obese
- 78.9% of KC teen population is either overweight or obese. With 17% being obese
- 3 out of 5 Americans eat out at least once per week.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
79% of Kern County adult population is either obese or overweight. I'm Eric J. Dockery, your Bakersfield reporter. Kern County Public Health highlights these stats to inform the community to take a step towards a healthier lifestyle.
Director of Kern County Public Health Brynn Carrigan said "We have the highest the highest mortality rate in the state due to diabetes here in Kern County. Almost 80% of our adults and teen population is considered either overweight or obese."
Obesity can lead to many serious health conditions such as heart disease, digestive problems, certain cancers, and diabetes. Its important to have these conversations early at home. Keeping a healthy balance in your choice of eating can prevent many health conditions.
"We want to try to prevent obesity as much as we can because that's also going to help us prevent chronic diseases that impact our lives for a long period of time." said Brynn Carrigan
Kern County Public Health held a press conference at a local restaurant called Toss It Salad Bar. Owner Gabriela Gonzalez says she noticed the need for a healthier alternative which is why she brought this salad bar to the city.
Gabriela Gonzalez Owner of Toss It said "At the time I was doing a lot of research. I was thinking what kind of business Bakersfield needs? Truth be told, it was going to be an empanadas shop because, I love baking. But after doing the research, I was like oh my god the numbers are terrible here! As far as Kern County being like the number 9th biggest county in California. While being number 1, when it comes to heart disease and being obese. So I thought a healthy eatery is so necessary here."
3 out of every 5 Americans eat out at least once per week, so our restaurants play an important role in the overall health of our community. Kern County Public Health also suggest finding a workout partner and continuing the journey to a healthier lifestyle together.
Kern Public Health highlights 35 restaurants that offer a healthier alternative. To view this list visit their website at
For 23 ABC I'm Eric J. Dockery your Bakersfield neighborhood reporter.
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