HAYDEN - Obesity and mental health are officially the two main priorities for the Panhandle Health District and other health entities in the five northern counties.

After two years of surveying, PHD and health care facilities in Kootenai, Boundary, Bonner, Shoshone and Benewah counties are presenting the Community Health Improvement Plan, which will focus on how to maintain and increase the health of citizens in North Idaho.

"We at Panhandle are committed to providing and advocating for the best resources available to keeping our community safe and healthy," said PHD director Lora Whalen. "Both obesity and mental health, they're persistent. We need to come together as a community to combat obesity and work on mental health issues."

The Community Health Assessment survey was conducted between October 2012 and December 2012. It was developed by public health care providers in the 10 northern counties and given to 1,497 people in those counties, 897 of them from District 1 (which includes Kootenai County). The results were presented in the Community Health Improvement Plan, which was finalized in August 2014.

Although cancer and child abuse ranked high on the list of concerns of those surveyed, the partners managing the data chose to remove these two from the list of issues that can be directly affected by the Community Health Improvement Plan, which aims to show progress and accomplishments.

Findings regarding physical activity showed obesity rates among adults are 26 percent in District 1 and that many small rural counties have no fitness centers or recreational areas, sidewalks or other safe areas to recreate other than the great outdoors. This is noted as an issue with seniors and children. To aid in the battle with obesity, PHD is leading the Let's Move! initiative in Kootenai County, increasing access to healthy food and physical activities for children, as well as the Color Me Healthy program, which is an obesity program for preschoolers.

For adults, PHD is encouraging local work sites to improve employee wellness programs. Studies have shown that healthier food at work and incentives for participating in physical activity lead to better weight management.

"It's an awareness of what overall health and wellness means," Whalen said, adding that while many fad diets exist, people need to take many factors into consideration to maintain a healthy weight.

Regarding mental health, Whalen said Idaho has the sixth-highest suicide rate in the country (weighted by population) and reasons for suicide widely vary. However, she said, it is a preventable death if people care enough and are not afraid to talk about it.

"Mental health is so tied to everything, if you think about it," she said. "I would love to see more mental health resources in North Idaho."

Whalen said PHD is working with entities in the Inland Northwest to present a seminar about suicide, "Achieving Zero Suicide for Our Inland Northwest Communities," which is scheduled to take place at Gonzaga University March 10.

Info: www.panhandlehealthdistrict.org, www.gonzaga.edu/academics/events/zerosuicide

Idaho Suicide Hotline: (800) 273-8255 or www.idahosuicideprevention.org