Healthiest State in 2007?

[cali]

Vermont. How does your state rank?
Unsurprisingly, after gains in the 90s, there's been stagnation or declines in the last several years.

Vt. ranked healthiest state in country
Email|Print| Text size – + By Dave Gram
Associated Press Writer / November 5, 2007
MONTPELIER, Vt. --Smoking is down, fewer children are living in poverty and Vermont is doing a better job on prenatal care, according to a report issued Monday that calls it the healthiest state in the nation.

more stories like thisNew England, as a region, scored well in the 18th annual report by the United Health Foundation, the American Public Health Association and the Partnership for Prevention: New Hampshire was ranked fourth, Maine seventh, Massachusetts ninth and Rhode Island 11th.

"Vermont moved to the top of the list of healthiest states after a steady climb in the rankings for the past seven years," the groups said in a report titled: "America's Health Rankings: A Call to Action for People and their Communities."

Vermont surpassed Minnesota, which dropped to second in the 2007 rankings. Hawaii, New Hampshire and Connecticut rounded out the top five. The least healthy states were clustered in the south: the 46th through 50th spots went to Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

The report found that overall, the nation's health declined by 0.3 percent since last year, with improvements in reducing in cancer and cardiovascular deaths overshadowed by increasing obesity, higher numbers of uninsured people, more children in poverty and continuing high rates of risky behaviors like tobacco use and violent crime.

It said the nation's health improved steadily through the 1990s but had stagnated or declined during this decade.

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http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2007/11/05/vt_ranked_healthiest_state_in_country/

[Cha]

1. I love Vermont! I checked to see

where Hawaii is because that's where I'm headed back to in 3 years and it's in the top 5. I was very healthy there and that's why I'm going back.

[cali]

2. I love Hawaii.

I love Hana- spent several months there in the 80s.

[Cha]

3. And Hana is on which Island?

I lived on Kauai for 6 years and didn't get to Island hop like I'll be doing when I go back. B-)

[cali]

4. Maui

very isolated, a long twisty ride from Lahaina, still completely undeveloped. Funky and gorgeous at the same time.

[Cha]

5. Aha! I think I've seen

pictures of that Road! Lucky You!

[Arkansas Granny]

6. Arkansas came in at number 48.

The reason for this were given as "high percentage of children in poverty, a high premature death rate, a high rate of cancer deaths, and low immunization coverage".