[Clemenza]

1Vermont
2Utah
3Massachusetts
4Hawaii
5New Hampshire
6Minnesota
7Connecticut
8Colorado
9Maine
10Rhode Island
11Washington
12Wisconsin
13Oregon
14Idaho
15Iowa
16Nebraska
17North Dakota
18New Jersey
19Wyoming
20South Dakota
21Maryland
22Virginia
23California
24Kansas
25New York
26Montana
27Arizona
28Pennsylvania
29Illinois
30Michigan
31New Mexico
32Delaware
33Ohio
34Alaska
35Indiana
36Florida
37North Carolina
38Missouri
39Texas
40Arkansas
41Kentucky
42West Virginia
43Georgia
44Tennessee
45Nevada
46South Carolina
47Louisiana
48Alabama
49Oklahoma
50Mississippi

[Allegra]

39 Texas

This just means that we know things like barbecue, dark chocolate Reese's peanut-butter cups and James Coney Island dogs are much, much better for you than a steady diet of rabbit food.

[who knows what evil?]

Vermont...the ‘Red Mountain State’. Socialism for all; what a surprise.

[editor-surveyor]

"The annual ranking looks at 22 indicators of health, including everything from how many children receive recommended vaccinations, to obesity and smoking rates, to cancer deaths."

The only thing on that list that has squat to do with being healthy is cancer.

So we have another useless feel-good list.

[Huck]

Seems like there’s a bit of correlation between healthiness and % of black population. The lowest ranking states have the largest % of black population. The highest ranking states have the lowest. There are some that don’t fit the pattern, but at a glance it works.

http://ipoaa.com/us_black_population.htm

[WKB]

Scroll down to #50 Mississippi ping

[visualops]

Maybe we’re all unhealthy down here in SC but at least we aren’t suffering from liberal disease.

[Wuli]

“The annual ranking looks at 22 indicators of health, including everything from how many children receive recommended vaccinations, to obesity and smoking rates, to cancer deaths. (The foundation is funded by the insurer UnitedHealth Group.)”

The survey does not “measure” actual HEALTH, it measures some statistics, some of which may only indicate possible and indirect health outcomes, or may not indicate actual health outcomes at all.

For instance, without measuring the number of incidents of an infant or primary school child actually OBTAINING an illness for which childhood vaccinations are given, along with the vaccination statistics, then the vaccination statistics alone do not tell you about “health”.

For example: You can have a state that has a lower than average rate of vaccinations - as some rural state’s may, and a state (like maybe Massachusetts) that has a high rate of vaccinations, and yet still have a lower rate of childhood infections of the diseases for which the vaccinations are given, in the more rural state - like Mississippi maybe; due to demographic circumstances (more likely childhood illnesses are spread where population density is greater).

Measuring only “vaccinations” does not tell you that you actually achieved a higher rate of non-occurrences of the related diseases. A rural state with it’s lower population density probably does just as well in the actual “health” area related to vaccinations, as a state with big urban centers and a higher rate of vaccinations; because greater population density usually translates to a greater rate of infections when an active viral condition does occur. They more aggressively pursue such vaccinations BECAUSE THEY NEED TO.

Other tests could be applied to some of the other statistics, and I imagine ought to be applied, before anyone takes the numbers too seriously.

[FrankR]

"States in New England top a new set of rankings, while the South still lags. "

I just don't know why the South is "lagging", the population explosion we've had here is from the mass migration from the north...snowbirds coming in by the flock.

But regardless of that, I'd rather eat what I want, and die younger than to live in Vermont, Rhode Island or any of those other snowbound bastions of liberal lunacy up north.

I idea that unless I eat like they do, it's unhealthy, is the biggest crock invading this (former) land of individual liberty.

I fail to see the correlation between liberals/government wanting us to eat stuff to make us healthier, so we live longer, and then want to send us to death panels when we retire.

You know what it equates to, don't you? To them, we cattle...beasts of burden to be kept healthy during our working years to generate cash for them, and then send to the abatitor during our non-productive years.

You will not be allowed to keep anymore of what your work produces than enough to keep you healthy enough to work...the quality of life that you dreamed up and are working for, will be gone.

So you Americans that support the kenyan, just chew your cud and bow...the rest of us are going to hold out on our liberties until the very end.

[dragnet2]

Ya go down to places like Bankok and everyone is skinny, tying to root around for tid bits, savaging fish heads or what ever they can scarf up.

Ya get people in the farming area that grow watermelons and potatoes, with 3000 pound steaks walking around their pastures, they tend to be fat and bloated.

[Marie2]

I bet there’s a correlation between racial makeup and healthiest.

I love all God’s children, but statistically in the country caucasians live the longest.

[Cedar]

My Mississippi family:

Dad died at 89.
Grandmother passed at 96.
Other grandmother at 88.
Aunt living, next birthday she’ll be 96.

All of them rarely saw a doctor, including the aunt. She goes maybe once a year to hers.

And all of them loved fried chicken.

[Islander7]

In most areas, folks eat to live, in Mississippi, we live to eat.

Yes, I cooked this meal for a lady friend.

Boat fresh buttered shrimp in garlic sauce over patsa
Squash, broccoli and onions sauteed in seasoned olive oil
Marinated grilled steak
Smoked French bread and fine white wine.

[Little Ray]

The South is “unhealthy” ‘cause all the old Yankees fly South to die...

[Redbob]

In what alternate universe could Michigan or Illinois be considered “healthier” than Texas, Arkansas, Alabama, or Mississippi???

[Straight Vermonter]

Vermont ranked first this year thanks in part to its low rate of obesity,...

I loved this part. After a travel for a while and then come home to VT I am always surprised by how many fat people are here. Just one man's anecdotal analysis but I think the numbers have been fudged.