By Peter H. Milliken

milliken@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning County will be one of 15 counties in the nation participating in this year’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the county health commissioner announced.

This is the first time in the 55-year history of the survey conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that Mahoning County will be included, Health Commissioner Patricia Sweeney told the county commissioners Thursday.

“It forms the basis for national health policy,” she said of the survey. “It’s really a great opportunity for us to be part of national health policymaking.

“It is so important to understand health trends in the nation,” that pertain to ailments, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, she said.

“A long history of good science has come out of this,” Sweeney said.

In the survey, which will begin here May 22, randomly selected county residents will receive letters, followed by visits from CDC representatives, the commissioner said.

Participants will be selected from Youngstown, Canfield, Poland, Struthers, Campbell, Lowellville and New Middletown.

Some 330 county residents will be selected to undergo physical examinations in five trailers at Southern Park Mall.

Some 5,000 people nationally will participate in the study, with participants compensated up to $125 for their time and travel expenses, CDC said.

“Each person they select represents 65,000 people in the country,” Sweeney said.

Participants will get a free and confidential health and nutrition evaluation.

Study results will be compiled nationally, but will not be broken down by community, Sweeney said.