Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Healthiest States in America

This article popped up on my home page this morning, tempting me by asking if I lived in America's Unhealthiest State. (Turns out, I don't.) 


However, people in Mississippi do. (Are we really shocked, people? Really?) The article points to low graduation rates and lack of primary care physicians as major factors in the low ranking. I guess we are ignoring the fact that folks in the Deep South would fry their breakfast cereal if given the chance.


The five unhealthiest states were:      

46. Oklahoma
47. Nevada
48. Arkansas
49. Louisiana
50. Mississippi   

Source
However, I did make a face at the supposed "healthiest" state: Vermont. Say what? The article said that Vermonters (Vermontians? Whatever.) were probably "out celebrating their first-place finish with an invigorating mountain hike". Has the author of this article ever been to Vermont? Because I'm pretty sure a snowy January hike would be a bit more than "invigorating". Try "so cold it makes you wonder if your fingers are still attached to your body". 


The 5 healthiest states were: 

1. Vermont
2. Massachusetts
3. New Hampshire
4. Connecticut
5. Hawaii 
(Ok, really? I would be a lot healthier too if I had the option of being in a bathing suit 350 days a year.)

I call bias on this so-called "study". New England has 4 of the 5 healthiest states? Ahead of Hawaii? 

Even if it is true, I lived in New England for one winter, and that was enough for me. I'll still take the South any day, where the winters are mild (minus the past few days), the beaches are close, and the people are better-looking. Thanks. And pass the fried pickles. 


7 comments:

Meri said...

Haha- I always read those lists on MSN and wonder how accurate they really are. There are parts of Minnesota where people are pretty healthy, and parts where... i'm not so sure :)
Fun site!
Meri

http://www.merigoesround.blogspot.com

Adrienne Shubin said...

Maybe that study was done by a group trying to get people to move to New England...and they just threw Hawaii in there to make it look legit.

Every Little Thing said...

Michigan and Illinois are both dead center, so I guess I'm OK with that, lol. I think it says something that New England is so represented, as it's a very wealthy "section" of the US, and being healthy often requires money.

Anonymous said...

fried pickles! no way!
Katherine

Haughty by Nature said...

@ Meri! Thanks for stopping by!

@ Adrienne Something must be up. Maybe it's just that people LOOK healthier when they are tan and outdoors, hence why no one suspects New Englanders.

@ Every Little Thing Sadly, true. They did say Vermont had the largest percentage of people with health insurance.

@cycllicalunemployment Oh yea. We Southerners don't mess around with our saturated fats. They're practically a food group!

Allison @ Happy Tales said...

I find this very interesting... I totally would've thought Colorado would've made top 5 for healthiest! huh...

Anonymous said...

Haha! I just came to your blog via Allison's (Happy Tales) and I'm glad I did. I love your take on the healthiest States and your final opinion. I gotta say, fried pickles are pretty tasty... but then I live in South so I guess I just fall in the stereotype. ;)

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