Find three City of Atlanta stats relevant to your beat (post on blog) The goal is not to just list numbers. You are to find credible data that tells a story about your beats local footprint. The stats should connect to a potential story angle.
For my health beat, I focused on the significant number of adults in Atlanta who do not engage in regular physical activity which correlates high obesity rates and diabetes diagnoses. These statistics paints a picture of a public health challenge linked to lifestyle factors.
- Physical Inactivity Rate: Atlanta had an estimated 22.1% of adults report being physically inactive in the past 30 days in 2022, according to City Health Dashboard.
- Obesity Rate: Atlanta had an estimated 31.5% of adults report a BMI ≥30 kg/m2 in 2022, according to City Health Dashboard.
- Diabetes Prevalence: Atlanta had an estimated 10.2% of adults report having diabetes in 2022, according to City Health Dashboard.
A potential story angle could be how Atlanta’s high physical inactivity rate contributes to the rising obesity and diabetes level and what local programs and initiatives exist to promote healthier lifestyles.