Do you know which state is truly thriving in this space? Or how does your state rank in health and wellness compared to the rest?
A recent study, conducted by healthcare industry expert ozmosi.com, found that Hawaii is the healthiest state in the US, scoring 79.40 out of 100. Kentucky and West Virginia are the least healthy states, with a score of 40.00.
This conclusion was drawn based on the quality of the air, obesity prevalence, physical activity, health conditions (cholesterol, cancer, and coronary heart disease), and sleeping, smoking, drinking, and food consumption habits of residents in all the states.
ozmosi.com evaluated all 50 states in the US using 12 distinct criteria, assigning a score out of 100 for each criterion. These individual scores were then combined and weighted to generate a final score out of 100. The data was sourced from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Ten Healthiest States in the USA
Hawaii: Hawaii secures its spot at number one with the highest score of 79.40 out of 100. Hawaii ranks as the healthiest state with a final score of 79.4. It has the lowest PM2.5 annual average concentration and a relatively low obesity rate. However, it has a high percentage of adults who have less than 7 hours of sleep and a high percentage of binge-drinking adults.
Depression prevalence in Hawaii is 14.86%, partly thanks to programs like "Hawaii Cares". Binge drinking among adults is at 19.17%, and the PM2.5 air quality index is at a low 4.39%. Only 19.49% of adults don't engage in leisure-time physical activities, helping keep the obesity rate at 25%. High cholesterol affects 29.9% of adults, the lowest among the top four states, reflecting good eating habits.
Colorado: Following Hawaii, Colorado has the second-highest final score of 78.4. It has a low rate of obesity and high physical activity. However, its PM2.5 annual average concentration is higher compared to Hawaii.
Hawaii and Colorado exhibit similar health ratings in many aspects, save for differences in sleep patterns and fruit intake.
Vermont: Vermont, ranking third in health among U.S. states with a final score of 77.50, has implemented successful health initiatives. Burlington's "Farm to Plate" program increases local food production and consumption, and the "Healthy City" program promotes exercise and nutritious eating. Impressively, Vermont has the lowest percentage of adults with high cholesterol among the top four states—only 26.6%. These measures likely contribute to its high health ranking.
Utah: Utah ranks 4th among the healthiest U.S. states, despite a higher obesity prevalence (30.9%) and PM2.5 concentration (7.67). It has the lowest number of binge drinkers (11.13%) and smoking adults (11.42%) among the top five states, largely due to health initiatives like "Salt Lake County Behavioral Health Services." These programs have helped Utah achieve a final health score of 74.3.
New Hampshire: New Hampshire, home to the city of Manchester and beautiful wilderness. With a score of 74.2, New Hampshire ranks fifth. It has a low PM2.5 concentration and a lower percentage of adults who consume vegetables less than once daily compared to many other states.
Massachusetts: Massachusetts ranks sixth with a final score of 73. Despite a relatively high percentage of adults with high cholesterol, it has a lower obesity rate compared to many other states.
Connecticut: The charming state of Connecticut, featuring cities like Hartford and New Haven, ranks seventh with a final score of 71.9. It has a lower percentage of adults having less than 7 hours of sleep and a lower percentage of current smokers. It has a relatively low percentage of adults with coronary heart disease.
California: The Golden State, home to cities like San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Despite having the highest PM2.5 annual average concentration among the top 10, California still ranks eighth with a total score of 70.90 due to its lower obesity rate and lower percentage of adults with high cholesterol.
Rhode Island: The smallest state, including cities like Providence, with a final score of 70.8, ranks ninth. It has a relatively low PM2.5 concentration and a lower percentage of adults who consume vegetables and fruits less than once daily.
New Jersey: New Jersey ranks among the top 10 healthiest states in the U.S. with a score of 70.6, despite a high prevalence of cholesterol among adults. Key factors contributing to this ranking could include lower rates of obesity, smoking, or binge drinking, as well as higher levels of physical activity and better sleep patterns among adults. The state might also have effective healthcare programs in place to manage cholesterol levels and other health conditions.
The Ten Least Healthiest States in the USA
The two least healthy states are West Virginia and Kentucky, both scoring 40 out of 100.
Kentucky: Kentucky has a slightly higher PM2.5 concentration (8.21) and obesity prevalence (40.3%), as well as the highest percentage of adults with no physical leisure-time activity (34.77%). The state also has a high rate of adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep (39.3%) and the highest percentage of current smokers (26.09%). Kentucky has more adults who consume vegetables (19.8%) and fruits (45%) less than once daily, contributing to high cholesterol (32.7%) and coronary heart disease (7.9%) rates.
West Virginia: West Virginia has an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 8. It has the highest obesity prevalence (40.6%) and a large percentage of adults with no leisure-time physical activity (30.63%). The state has a high rate of adults getting less than 7 hours of sleep (40.58%) and a high percentage of current smokers (25.89%). West Virginia also has a significant number of adults who consume vegetables (18.9%) and fruits (46%) less than once daily, contributing to high cholesterol (34.1%) and coronary heart disease (8%) rates.
Louisiana: (Overall Health Score: 40.2): Louisiana's health is affected by high rates of obesity (33.54%), smoking (38.6%), and a lack of physical activity. New Orleans is a well-known city in Louisiana.
Alabama: (Overall Health Score: 43.9): Alabama faces health challenges like high obesity rates (32.83%) and smoking rates (39.9%). The state also has a low percentage of physically active residents. Birmingham is a notable city in Alabama.
Arkansas: (Overall Health Score: 46.2): Arkansas has a high obesity rate (33.44%) and a high smoking rate (38.7%). Little Rock is a significant city in Arkansas.
Oklahoma: (Overall Health Score: 46.3): Oklahoma's health issues include high obesity rates (32.49%) and smoking rates (39.4%). Oklahoma City is a well-known city in this state.
Mississippi: (Overall Health Score: 47.0): Mississippi has a high obesity rate (35.74%) and smoking rate (39.1%). Jackson is a notable city in Mississippi.
Tennessee: (Overall Health Score: 47.5): Tennessee has high obesity rates (31.23%) and smoking rates (35%). Nashville is a significant city in this state.
Ohio: (Overall Health Score: 50.7): Ohio has high obesity rates (28.41%) and smoking rates (37.8%). Cleveland, as you mentioned, is a notable city in Ohio.
Missouri: (Overall Health Score: 50.9): Missouri has high obesity rates (30.59%) and smoking rates (37.3%). Kansas City is a well-known city in Missouri.
Some Important and Large Cities That Failed to Make the Top Ten
New York: (Overall Health Score: 64.4): It showcases its grit with a reasonable obesity rate of 29.1%, defying the notion that the Big Apple's famous pizza and bagels always tip the scales! Despite being known for its bustling city life, New York surprises with satisfactory air quality, clocking an annual average PM2.5 concentration of just 6.91 μg/m³ - a testament to the state's commitment to preserving its blue skies. However, it's not all sunshine and roses, as the state battles a higher smoking rate of 18.56%.
Texas: (Overall Health Score: 55.1): Texas has a high obesity rate (36.1%) and a relatively average smoking rate (18.89%). The prevalence of adults with no physical leisure-time activity is 30.18%. The state's largest city is still Houston.
Florida: (Overall Health Score: 57.4): Florida has a high obesity rate of 33.5% and an adult smoking rate of 21.37%. The prevalence of depression among adults is 17.8%, but other state-specific mental health data is not available. High percentages of adults are inactive, get insufficient sleep, and consume fruits infrequently. These factors significantly contribute to Florida's health score.
Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania ranks 29th healthiest in the US, with an overall health score of 59.7. It has a 33.3% obesity rate, 25.22% of adults lack leisure-time physical activity, and 36.11% sleep less than seven hours. Smoking and binge-drinking rates are 21.02% and 19.76%, respectively. Daily fruit and vegetable consumption is low. High cholesterol affects 28.9% of adults, while 6.03% have coronary heart disease. The state also has high rates of adult cancer (6.37%) and depression (22.27%).
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