Craven County North Carolina Obesity Epidemic Craven County, North Carolina is located in the Coastal Plains section of North Carolina and is situated halfway between New York and Florida. Craven County is reported to cover 708.43 square miles of land area and is characterized by flat land to gently rolling hills. Craven County is topographically flat with the average elevation approximately 17.5 feet above sea level. Craven County is reported as rural with no metropolitan areas and to be comprised of two cities: (1) New Bern; and (2) Havelock and six other towns that are incorporated. Recreational activities in Craven County are reported to include easy access to water with the terrain, temperature, and climate being conducive to many outdoor recreational activities including sailing, boating, fishing, hunting, golf and other activities.

Demographics

Craven County, North Carolina has a population of 96,892 and the median household income is $38,473. The hardship index in Craven County is stated at 31.8 with 0 being the easiest...

The population of Craven County, North Carolina living below the poverty index is 14.9% of the population. The Demographics for Craven County, North Carolina are reported as shown in the following table labeled Figure 1.
Figure 1. Demographics

DEMOGRAPHICS

% White, 2008

69.6%

% Hispanic, 2008

3.9%

% Asian, 2008

1.3%

% Black, 2008

23.3%

% Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 2008

0.1%

% Amer. Indian or Alaska Native, 2008

0.4%

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013)

II. Health Status

The following table shows the health status of individuals living in Craven County, North Carolina as compared to its peer counties in the United States.

Figure 2. Health Status of Craven County, North Carolina Compared to Its' Peers

Unfavorable/Unfavorable Quadrant

Low Birth Wt. (