We should only be healthy!

Dafna Shemer

The recently-released Central Bureau of Statistics Social Survey for 2017 includes questions about issues related to health. It is interesting to compare the results for the different populations in Israel and in Jerusalem. The topic of health is especially intriguing with respect to the Haredi population, since it is difficult to evaluate the scope of its members' utilization of health services, specifically preventive services.

Sick? Injured? Get to your Health Fund

Lior Regev

The final months of 2017 were tough on the health of the people in Zion. The winter, or more precisely the lack of winter, and the accompanying dryness, made their mark on the parents and children who suffered together. The frequent flus, and the viruses and germs that never let up and were constantly on the attack, wore everyone down. According to an article by Rotem Elizera published on Ynet (in Hebrew), they caused an increase of 10 percent in the sick days taken by workers in Israel, in comparison to 2016.

Eating Healthy

Aviel Yelinek

In recent years we have seen an increasing awareness of healthy nutrition. Every few months, new research findings shed light on various aspects of good nutrition such as recommended foods, foods that should be avoided, and vitamins and minerals whose consumption is especially important. Chain store shelves are stocked with new “health” products. If in the past we settled for eating a bread roll or pita, today we are exposed to a variety of breads made of whole wheat, rye, and various grains. Ingredients that were known to only a few in the past, such as Omega-3 or bifidobacteria (bio yogurts), have received widespread public recognition, and today they are being added to many foods as part of the effort to market these foods as “healthier” than the competition. “Healthy” foods such as quinoa or whole grain (brown) rice are popular in many households these days.

In this context, the 2010 Social Survey of the Central Bureau of Statistics provides interesting data regarding the nutrition habits of Jerusalem residents.

Dieticians advise eating breakfast because it is the most important meal of the day. Compared to residents of other major cities in Israel, Jerusalemites are the “healthiest” in this respect, and 66% of them are strict about eating breakfast every day. This figure compares to 61% of Haifa residents, 57% of Rishon LeZion residents, 55% of Israel’s residents, and 50% of Tel Aviv residents. Accordingly, the percentage of Jerusalemites who reported that they almost never eat breakfast (once a week or less often) was the lowest among the major cities, at 18%. This compares to 21% of Haifa residents, 24% of Israel’s residents, 28% of Rishon LeZion residents, and 31% of Tel Aviv residents.

Another question addressed eating habits regarding fruits and vegetables. Here too, Jerusalemites were found to be the “healthiest.” The percentage of Jerusalem residents who reported that they are extremely strict or very strict about eating fruits and vegetables stood at 74%. This is similar to Tel Aviv residents (74%) and higher than the figure for residents of Israel (68%), Haifa (67%), and Rishon LeZion (66%).

It is interesting to note that compared to residents of the other major cities, Jerusalemites are less strict about examining the nutritional ingredients on food packages. The percentage of Jerusalem residents who reported doing so frequently or sometimes stood at 49%, lower than the percentage for residents of Israel (57%), Tel Aviv and Rishon LeZion (65%), and Haifa (67%).

Source: Analysis of data from the Social Survey of the Central Bureau of Statistics.

Physical Exercise

Michal Korach

The Central Bureau of Statistics recently published the findings of a health survey that it had conducted for the purpose of providing data in the areas of health, use of healthcare services, health-related habits, and health insurance, as well as measuring changes in these indicators over time.

One of the survey questions addressed the issue of physical exercise. Physical exercise has important implications in terms of both physical and mental health. Engaging in physical exercise is important not only for losing weight and maintaining physical fitness, but also for improving one’s overall physical condition, reducing the likelihood of chronic illnesses, and improving wellbeing and mental health.

The survey indicates that during 2009, 20% of Israel’s population aged 20 and above engaged in physical exercise (a cumulative total of at least 30 minutes during the day) at least three times a week. The percentage of Jews and others (23%) who engaged in physical exercise was significantly higher than the percentage of Arabs (6%). Within the Jewish population there are significant differences in the level of engagement in physical exercise in accordance with place of birth: the highest percentage of those aged 20 and above who engaged in physical exercise was recorded among people born in Europe and America (25%), followed by those born in Israel (24%), Asia (21%), and Africa (16%).

The data indicate that a correlation exists between years of education and engagement in physical activity. As the years of education received increases, the percentage of people engaged in physical activity increases: among those with 0-8 years of education, 8% engaged in physical activity, compared to 23% among those with 13-15 years of education and 29% among those with 16 or more years of education.

The percentage of people who engage in physical exercise in Jerusalem is lower than in the other major cities. In Jerusalem approximately 19% of those aged 20 and above engaged in physical exercise, compared to 26% in Tel Aviv and Haifa and 23% in Rishon LeZion. As the graph indicates, the percentage of men who engage in physical exercise is generally higher than the percentage of women. The percentages of men and women who engage in physical exercise in Jerusalem are close, measuring 20% and 18%, respectively.