Vermont & Mississippi- Healthiest and least healthy states, once again.

[cali]

America's Healthiest And Unhealthiest States
Jim Nash, 12.07.10, 12:01 AM EST
States in New England perform best, while the South still falls behind.
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For the second year in a row, residents of Vermont are the healthiest people in the nation, according to a new state-by-state survey by the nonprofit United Health Foundation, which is funded by insurer UnitedHealth Group.

Vermonters may already be celebrating their first place-finish with an invigorating mountain hike. Mississippians, on the other hand, are unlikely to toast their ninth consecutive last-place finish.


The ranking, which has been published by United Health for 21 years, measures residents of each state on 22 activities that can predict future health, such as smoking and exercising, as well as events that have already occurred, like deaths or violent crime.

Full Ranking: America's Healthiest And Unhealthiest States

What is Vermont doing right? Among its many virtues, according to the survey, the state boasts a high percentage of residents with health insurance, high per-capita public health funding and ready availability of primary care physicians. The state has steadily risen in the rankings since placing 17th in 1997 and 1998.

Other states appearing near the top of the list include Massachusetts (No. 2), New Hampshire (No. 3), Connecticut (No. 4) and Hawaii (No. 5).

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http://www.forbes.com/2010/12/06/healthiest-unhealthiest-states-lifestyle-health-uhc.html?boxes=businesschannelsections

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. Call Haley Barbour and give him the good news.

He has his eye on the White House.:rofl:

[OHdem10]

5. Call Howard Dean and congratualte him. Dean initiated the

first health insurance program in Vermont many years
ago and set them on the path they are now on.

[MineralMan]

2. Minnesota stays at #6.

We do have an obesity problem here, though, which is probably why we're not ranked higher.

[DoBotherMe]

3. Here's a link to the full report

http://www.americashealthrankings.org/ Dana ; )

[PVnRT]

4. The median income in Mississippi is $15K less than Vermont

Dead last, based on 2008 numbers, and I doubt that has changed much in four years. There's not a direct correlation between household income and health (Vermont ranked 20th in income), but there's more than coincidence involved here. Poor people eat cheaper food, which is filled with more empty calories and sodium. It's especially bad for children, and with the poverty in Mississippi, I'd bet that their school lunch program isn't helping out.