2/25/2011 Charts: Looking at the Data

In looking at the CDC maps, I was curious about the data. Some of the ranges seem extremely tight:

3.7 percentage points on the Physical Inactivety map
1.1 and 1.2 percentage points on the Diagnosed Diabetes map
3.1 and 3.6 percentage points on the Obesity map

Depending upon the colors used, and the number and type of ranges, radically different maps can be created. As a result, very different stories can be told.

I downloaded the data for each map, and, in a new spreadsheet, displayed the ADJPERCENT (Estimated percentage adults with diagnosed diabetes or risk factor in the county after adjusting for age) values for each category, as charts:




The shape/curve of the data means that ~80% of the data are within a narrow range, with the “10% tails” going to extremes.

80% of the Physically Inactive data are between 19.4% and 32.7% (the lowest 5% range from 10.1% to 19.4%, the highest 5% range from 32.7% to 43.0%).

80% of the Diagnosed Diabetes data are between 6.7% and 11.6% (the lowest 5% range from 3.7% to 6.6%, the highest 5% range from 11.6% to 15.7%).

80% of the Obesity data are between 24.6% and 33.1% (the lowest 5% range from 11.5% to 24.6%, the highest 5% range from 33.1% to 43.9%).

What that means is that “it is not inappropriate to make sweeping statements about the data”:

Between one-fifth and one-third of the country are Physically Inactive.
Between 6% and 12% of the country have Diagnosed Diabetes.
Between one-quarter and one-third of the country are Obese.

The maps show that, unfortunately, most of the counties that are high in one problem area are also high in the other two problem areas. What that says to me is that, to avoid Diagnosed Diabetes and Obesity, I should eat moderately and exercise.