America's Healthiest State Is...

The healthiest state in 2011 has been revealed, according to a new ranking.

American's Health Rankings, produced by the United Health Foundation, American Public Health Association and the Partnership for Prevention, show that Vermont has taken the top spot as the healthiest state in America.

America's Health Rankings explains why Vermont did so well:

Vermont's strengths include its number one position for all health determinants combined, which includes ranking in the top 10 states for a high rate of high school graduation, a low violent crime rate, a low rate of infectious disease, a high usage of early prenatal care, high per capita public health funding, a low rate of uninsured population and ready availability of primary care physicians.

However, the researchers did point out that Vermont has a relatively low immunization rate for children, as well as a relatively high rate of occupational fatalities and binge drinking.

The rankings took into account a number of elements that can impact health, ranging from personal health behaviors, to environment and the community, to health policies in the state to the quality of clinical care.

For the full ranking of states, from least to most healthy, click through the slideshow:

Comments

[Teri Knauer-Schafer]

07:43 PM on 04/14/2012

When they ask me where I would like to buy a home I said Vermont. This was a few years ago and the computer I had blew up.,well the moniter started to smoke. I was really in the CMT stuff and music world.

[jpfmtka]

11:08 AM on 02/07/2012

I can't help but notice that of the bottom 16, 14 are "Red" and 2, "Purple". Not a blue hue, boo hoo!

[Nopinky]

11:50 PM on 12/11/2011

So Mississippi is the unhealthiest and least-educated state in the country - tell me again why Haley Barbour was ever taken seriously as a candidate or pundit or ... grocery bagger?

[DSAldridge]

05:26 PM on 12/10/2011

Notice that most of the higher ranked states are some of the whitest and wealthiest states, where people have good health care and insurance. The lowest ones are just the opposite.

[Aabby]

04:54 PM on 12/09/2011

SMH at the South. When will they wake up?

[TimFredrickson]

03:12 PM on 12/09/2011

Vermont would make a nice sized county in many of the western states. That is the problem with many of these surveys that measure different aspects of the states. Frankly all of New England could be combined to make one state. Mass+Conn+RI+NH+Ver = New England. Maine could be optional. After all Maine used to be a disconnected part of Massachusetts. Delaware + Maryland combined makes sense too. Split Northern New Jersey and give it to New York and Southern New Jersey goes to Pennsylvania. Except nobody would want any parts of New Jersey. Hah, this is fun!

[Klad InVermont]

07:55 PM on 12/09/2011

And your point is what...geographical size, population size/density?

[TimFredrickson]

08:38 PM on 12/09/2011

Good questrion Klad! Perhaps all three indicators could come into play for different circumstances. I've been to Vermont by the way... it is beautiful! Perhaps another variation would be to join NH+ Ver. as one state and RI + Conn as another. Don't take it personal I am just playing what if games.

[h23154]

09:55 PM on 12/09/2011

You could combine a good chuck of the mid-West and plains states and still have fewer people than California - but a heck of a lot more Senators.

[linmarco]

09:24 PM on 12/08/2011

Geez all of this ado over which state is the healthiest. Wonder what would happen if they did one listing the states with the most beautiful women.

[sillylittleme]

08:07 PM on 12/09/2011

Beauty is only skin deep, good health is a necessity for a good quality of life...

[Klad InVermont]

08:46 AM on 12/10/2011

That would be too subjective. Would you choose those who wear little or no make-up and are more natural beauties or would you include those who use a spatula to put on the make-up. Again, there are regional differences when it comes to "beauty aids".

[linmarco]

09:11 PM on 12/08/2011

It's research and not gospel. No matter where you live if you eat healthy and live a life of moderation you'll be OK.

[ChaseM1017]

12:03 PM on 12/09/2011

Habits are contagious..note that the South is a cesspool, for instance.

[Klad InVermont]

08:48 AM on 12/10/2011

And exercise. I think one of the unspoken factors in whether one is healthy or not, is access to sidewalks or hiking trails or some sort of outdoor recreational area. No matter the state, people who live in suburbs that were constructed not for pedestrians but rather vehicles, probably suffer the most from high obesity rates and thereby poor health.

[mrdpavo]

08:04 PM on 12/08/2011

One of the many reasons I have chosen to live in New England.

[SharonMcEachern]

08:00 PM on 12/08/2011

POX PARTIES
It's terrible that parents still believe research -- which now has been proven fraudulant -- that children can get autism as a side effect of vaccines. Some parents are so worried about vaccinations that they are having pox parties, getting lollipops infected with the chicken pox virus --from strangers through the Internet. It's frightening because there are other infections that can be on these lollipops, like hepititus. Ethic Soup as a good post on pox parties at:

http://www.ethicsoup.com/2011/12/pox-parties-and-chickenpox-lollipops-dangerous-substitutes-for-vaccinations.html

[1jurisdiva]

07:25 PM on 12/08/2011

Of course the states that are the most expensive in terms of healthcare are those that oppose the Health Care Reform Act.

[Jciampa149]

04:16 PM on 12/08/2011

So proud to be born and raised in New England! Most beautiful place in America! We've got it all!

[mrdpavo]

08:05 PM on 12/08/2011

I agree! Most beautiful place in the US!

[lacitepq]

02:57 PM on 12/10/2011

Indeed. All six New England states in the top 10. Most southern states towards the bottom. What's with that?

[Karl Wilder]

02:19 PM on 12/08/2011

What criteria are they using to determine this. When I go to Minnesota I see obesity everywhere.

[Steve Schwab]

09:17 PM on 12/08/2011

As they say: "Birds of a feather....."

[Klad InVermont]

07:58 PM on 12/09/2011

Not in the Twin Cities, I lived there for 5 yrs and no matter the season people were out and about on the lakes, the bike trails and parks. Now if you're talking the Mall of America, that's another story altogether and not representative of Minnesota.

[OutAtFirst]

02:04 PM on 12/08/2011

To paraphrase Charles Barkley: "If it wasn't for Arkansas and Mississippi, Alabama would be dead last in everything"

[Aabby]

04:55 PM on 12/09/2011

LOL Sad and funny.

[RespectMyAuthoritah]

01:42 PM on 12/08/2011

Not surprised to see most of the blue States at the top.
Not surprised to see most of the Northeastern States at the top.
Not surprised to see most of the smaller, rural, and secluded States at the top.

Overall, I'm not surprised to see most of the North at the top and most of the South at the bottom. You can keep your backwards and twisted ideology. We don't want it. If you look hard enough, you'll find that conservatives are often, if not always, on the wrong side of history.

[Steve Schwab]

09:19 PM on 12/08/2011

What are you talking about? Slavery was, just, downright awesome! But seriously, folks...is this thing on?

[J0E1]

11:30 PM on 12/08/2011

You realize that rural and secluded states are conservative right?

[Klad InVermont]

08:38 AM on 12/10/2011

Not all rural/secluded states are conservative. Vermont and New Hampshire, sure aren't conservative.