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We're fatter. We're drinking more. And we're giving each other more sexually transmitted diseases.

Those are some of the uncomfortable truths presented in a sweeping look at the state of Guilford County's health released Monday.

Not all the news is bad. Gluttony and vice are only part of the story.

We're getting a little more active, and we're smoking less, too. Mortality rates for some common diseases, including cancer and heart disease, are lower for Guilford County than the state as a whole.

"Generally speaking, Guilford County does fairly well compared to the state," said Mark Smith, an epidemiologist with the Guilford County Department of Public Health.

At the same time, though, Greensboro recently made a U.S. News list of the nation's 10 smokiest cities, and the metro area fares worse than the state in some measures, including rates of high blood pressure, diabetes and the amount of exercise.

Hidden in the health department's overall numbers are disturbing statistics. Other races fare much worse than white residents in category after category.

Nonwhites have higher death rates for cancer, diabetes, heart disease and several other diseases.

"The disparities are pretty noteworthy," Smith said.

Determining the precise reasons can be difficult, but the county is planning surveys in certain areas to take a look at factors such as access to care, unemployment, stress and other issues.

By the numbers

• We're getting larger. Forty-one percent of adults were overweight in 2007, up from 37.3 percent in 2003. Another 27 percent were obese. Only 31 percent of adults were at a healthy weight.

• We're getting some activity. In 2007, 42.5 percent of adults met the recommendation for moderate physical activity, up from 41.0 percent in 2003.

• We're drinking more. The number of adults reporting drinking more than four drinks at one time went up from 2003 to 2007, from 12 percent to 16 percent.

• We're still puffing away. The percentage of adults who smoke was unchanged, at 25 percent in 2007.

Disparities

• The heart disease death rate for 2002-2006 was 178.5 per 100,000 people for white residents and 237.1 for other races.

• The stroke death rate was 51.0 per 100,000 white residents and 72.3 for others.

• The diabetes death rate was 14.4 per 100,000 white residents and 49.9 for others.

• The gonorrhea rate for 2003-2007 was 52.8 for whites and 616 per 100,000 for other races.

Causes of death

Leading causes in 2007, per 100,000 residents:

• Heart disease, 818

• Cancer, 814

• Stroke, 213

• Unintentional injuries and accidents, 204

The county fares better than the state by some measures. The county's mortality rate in 2007 was 787.4 per 100,000; the state's was 835.8.

Contact Jason Hardin at 373-7021 or at jason.hardin@news-record.com