 An illustrated tour of why scientists are finding that sleep matters more than we know.
Source: Reuters  Hunterdon County — where there’s lots of parks and health clubs, an ample pool of doctors, and not much child poverty or unemployment — is home to New Jersey’s healthiest people for the fifth consecutive year, according to a study that will be released today. There’s nothing more important then economic stability to help foster good health, said James Marks, the foundation’s senior vice president. Factors like income, safety and public safety and education are the among biggest ones in judging the healthiest counties in the report, which also measures people’s behaviors, access to health care and environmental quality. "Economics is really important, directly and indirectly. You get better housing and access to quality food," Marks said. "A higher income family is more apt to send children to better schools." The other counties determined New Jersey’s healthiest are Somerset, Morris, Bergen and Middlesex. The least healthy counties also include Essex, Atlantic, Salem and Camden. The report found: • Essex County residents are nearly twice as likely to die prematurely than those who live in Hunterdon County. • Union County, the tenth-healthiest, has double the violent crime rate as its neighbor, Middlesex County, which ranked fifth overall. • Monmouth and Ocean counties are sixth and seventh healthiest, respectively, but Ocean has twice as many poor children and 9 percent fewer college graduates. It’s difficult to shake up the rankings year by year, Marks acknowledged. But government officials in counties across the country have used the foundation’s data to advocate for public projects that encourage healthy living. For example, The United Way received a grant to hold community meetings and rally support for improving early childhood education, based on the need identified by the county rankings, Marks said. "What we are seeing and excited about is over the last few years, this is serving as a call of action to leaders in the state," Marks said. "We are in this together and we need to create a culture of health. This data exists, and we’re making it visible in a standardized way and putting it in the hands of the community." The foundation says the findings can be used to make improvements even in counties that have gotten good health grades. Somerset County, for example, ranks second healthiest — largely because of the benefits of wealth and relatively few people who are out of work and don’t have insurance. But Somerset ranks last for environmental factors such as drinking water and air quality violations, as well as long commutes to work. Public officials could decide to tackle these problems now that they have been identified and compared to the rest of the state, Marks said. "These rankings really can help a community decide what to work on when they have a discussion local leaders," Marks said. The foundation conducts the research project with the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute using the most recent government data, ranging from 2010 to 2013, according to the report. Leaders of the foundation, public health officials and lawmakers will discuss the findings at a Statehouse news conference this morning. The report may be found here. New Jersey healthy county rankings:
 Beth Bogdewiecz prefers activity dates. She likes getting to know someone beyond conversation, seeing how they react to stress or crowds to better gauge her interest in the potential match.
The problem is the price. In Denver, where she lives, an hour of climbing or pingpong at a bar with appetizers, ends up being ~2x the cost of a standard drinks date. “There’s always a chance it could turn into more,” she told The Hustle. “On a deeper level, it’s like, ‘Do I want to spend money tonight?'” Bogdewiecz isn’t alone. The recent bout of inflation has impacted nearly every component of dating life — food, drinks, transportation — and has added additional financial pressure to courtship. The Hustle was curious to learn more about the economics of modern dating life, so we recently surveyed ~700 of our readers on the topic. How much do people spend on dates? What do they do? How has inflation impacted dating life? And what broader roles do money play in whom we choose to go out with? A few key findings:
Let’s take a deeper look at the findings. Who are these daters? Among our respondents, six out of 10 reported to have been on the dating scene for three years or less. Likewise, the distribution of date frequency skewed toward the lower end. Three-quarters of our respondents said they went on 10 or fewer dates last year. That may seem low, but some researchers have suggested that finding an ideal partner (if that’s the goal) isn’t about sheer volume. According to the “optimal stopping theory,” daters should reject the first 37% of potential matches to maximize their chances of finding the most ideal partner. Where do people choose to go on all these dates? Overwhelmingly, daters tend to skip the meals and activities and go straight to the bar to meet up for drinks. That said, many respondents suggested drinks were overplayed, citing costs and the routine nature of a drink. Several preferred a walk or a coffee as a first date before they’d be interested in a drink or dinner.
While the movie date was once a staple of dating culture, only 1% of our respondents said they head to the theaters with a date. This echoes broader trends with the evolution of film watching — though the “Netflix and chill” date at home seems to be equally unpopular. The cost of datingSo, how much does all this dating cost the average person? Our average respondent reported spending ~$68 per date — though that average varied wildly across demographics. The differences were the most dramatic across gender lines. The average man who paid for a date reported spending $87 per date, while the average woman who paid for a date reported spending $48. (Our nonbinary responses were not statistically significant enough to include.) Predictably, younger daters (Gen Z and millennials) spend less than the average, while more mature daters — particularly Gen Xers — spend more. As income went up, so too did spending on dates: Those who reported earning $150k+ spent more than twice as much on the average date as those in lower income brackets. But not all dates are created equal. We asked our respondents to share the most expensive date they’ve ever been on. On average, the total came in at $492. They included:
Who pays for all these dates? Our respondents adhered to traditional gender norms: 83% of men reported usually paying for dates, compared to 5% of women, although nearly half of female respondents said they typically split the bill. For both men and women alike, finances seem to play a central role in dating:
In recent times, inflation has made many daters even more hyper-vigilant about money. How has inflation affected dating life? In our survey, 85% of daters said that inflation has made dating noticeably more expensive over the past year. Among the respondents was Rahm Shoshana, a senior at the University of Illinois Chicago with a limited income. Shoshana has been in a long-distance relationship for nearly a year and said he and his boyfriend have cut back on visits because of higher prices for gasoline and Amtrak. When they’re together, they’ve stopped going out to restaurants and movie theaters and opted for grocery shopping dates and Netflix. “That is what it is and what it will probably have to be for a very long time for us,” Shoshana said. Inflation has impacted nearly every component of dating life — especially food, drinks, entertainment, and transportation. Michael Beale, a Gen Zer, has noticed the price of cocktails — an important component of “Dating 101,” he said — have increased from $12 to $14 where he lives in Connecticut. But he’s still going on dates with his girlfriend, less concerned by inflation because he recently started a higher-paying job. At the end of the day, dating seems to be mostly price inelastic — that is, habits tend to stay the same regardless of increases in price: 63% of respondents said inflation hasn’t caused them to go on fewer dates. And though inflation has made things a bit more challenging for the daters in our survey, only 3% reported that they have walked out and left a date with the tab. Source: The Hustle |
The Bergen Review is Bergen county's concierge for the best businesses, restaurants & venues in New Jersey. Our agency has over 10 years experience in web branding, online media and marketing. Our team of experts scour every nook and cranny of New Jerseys best businesses, restaurants & venues to present our clients the full scoop of where best deals & experiences are. Even after researching & looking at reviews, finding the REAL scoop on what Businesses, restaurants or venues best fit your interest can be a challenge. Bergen Review Media has a team that researches & visits various establishments. Making sure the consumer gets the best experience.
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