Metro Atlanta ranks No. 1 in country for health prospects

ATLANTA - Metro Atlanta received an A from a non-profit group that measures the health prospects of children in major American cities. <br> <br> According to the Kid-Friendly Cities Health Improvement Report Card, scheduled to be released tomorrow, Atlanta has zoomed from being the worst in the nation to the best. <br> <br> In 1990, Atlanta was Number 25. Now it holds the top seat, reports The Atlanta Journal-Constitution this morning. <br> <br> The report, which uses statistics gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rates cities on the number of low-birthweight babies, infant deaths and births to teen mothers. <br> <br> The group&#39;s executive director Peter Kostmayer credits local groups that encourage teens to delay sexual involvement. <br> <br> The report evaluates only health-related statistics, examining changes from 1990 to 1998. <br> <br> In Atlanta, the infant mortality rate improved 36 percent between 1990 and 1998, falling from 15-point-six to nine-point-nine. The number measures deaths before a child&#39;s first birthday. <br> <br>