Hawaii is seen by many as a beautiful, tropical paradise, full of gorgeous fauna, lovely beaches, and breathtaking views. The chain of islands seems to stand as a beacon of happiness, a dot of sunshine on the American map. Now, it can add one more thing to its list of awesome things about itself; Hawaii was recently proclaimed to be the healthiest state in America in 2013. The announcement comes from America’s Health Rankings, which releases information about the healthiest and least healthy areas in the United States on an annual basis. This year, Hawaii topped the list of the former.
What, exactly, qualified Hawaii for this honor? For starters, the amount of smokers and violent crime dropped significantly over the past year. The state also has high rates of child immunizations, low obesity rates, and has had a decrease in instances of preventable hospitalizations. 48.2% of high school educated adults aged 25 or older from the state reported that their health was either “very good” or “excellent.”
America’s Health Rankings has been taking on the task of ranking the nation’s health state-by-state for twenty years, now, according to their website. They also claim that they take into account “numerous health measures to compile a comprehensive perspective on our nation’s health issues.” Hawaii has a history of making the top 10 list; the lowest it has dropped has been #6. Other states that graced the top 10 this year included Vermont, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Minnesota.
It’s well worth a look to check and see where your state falls on the healthiness scale. America’s Health Ranking’s also includes specific analysis and data for individual states, explaining why they have received their designated rankings. Tell us, WebProNews readers; where does your state stand? Does your lifestyle mimic your state’s, or are you set apart in some way?
[Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.]