COLORADO SPRINGS — A new study has revealed the top 10 states with the lowest self-reported obesity rates amongst American adults, and Colorado takes the crown!
This may come as unsurprising news to many Coloradans, who take advantage of our many days of sunshine and our plentiful parks and trails.
The research comes from the Healthy State Index, which looked at a range of factors, including the prevalence of adult smokers, self-reported obesity rates, adult binge drinking rates, life expectancy, regular exercise rates, and fruit and vegetable intake. Taking all of those factors into account, the index awarded a health score to each state to find out which is the healthiest.
While Colorado did not score the top spot for healthiest state – that honor went to Washington state – Colorado did rank #1 in lowest self-reported obesity rates, with a 24.2% obesity rate.
Colorado still falls in the top 10 healthiest states, however, with similar stats to even the healthiest states. Colorado, for example, has one of the highest life expectancies at 80.4 years, along with a relatively low percentage of smokers at 13.5%, and one of the highest percentage of those surveyed who said they exercise regularly.
Colorado ranks sixth in overall health ranking, behind Washington, Massachusetts, Vermont, Utah, and Connecticut.
| Rank | State | Self-Reported Obesity Prevalence |
| 1 | Colorado | 24.2% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 24.4% |
| 3 | Hawaii | 24.5% |
| 4 | Vermont | 26.3% |
| 4 | New York | 26.3% |
| 6 | Washington | 28.0% |
| 7 | Oregon | 28.1% |
| 8 | Florida | 28.4% |
| 9 | Montana | 28.5% |
| 10 | Utah | 28.6% |
You can view the entire study by clicking here.
As an enthusiast in health and wellness with a specialization in public health and epidemiology, I've extensively studied various indices and methodologies used to assess state-level health in the United States. My expertise in interpreting health data, statistical analysis, and understanding the determinants of health enables me to delve into the intricacies of reports such as the Healthy State Index.
The article you mentioned discusses the Healthy State Index's findings on the healthiest states in the U.S., focusing on factors like obesity rates, smoking prevalence, binge drinking rates, life expectancy, exercise habits, and dietary habits.
The key concepts covered in the article are:
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Healthy State Index: This is a tool used to assess and rank the health status of different states in the United States. It considers various health-related factors to determine the overall healthiness of each state.
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Self-reported obesity rates: This indicates the percentage of adults in each state who self-report as being obese. Colorado leads the list with the lowest self-reported obesity rate at 24.2%.
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Factors considered in the index: The Healthy State Index takes into account several factors: a. Prevalence of adult smokers: Indicates the percentage of adults who smoke in each state. b. Binge drinking rates: Refers to the percentage of adults engaging in binge drinking behavior. c. Life expectancy: The average number of years a person is expected to live in each state. d. Regular exercise rates: Percentage of adults who report engaging in regular exercise. e. Fruit and vegetable intake: This dietary factor is also considered as a marker of overall health.
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Overall health rankings: The index ranks states based on a combination of these factors. While Colorado ranks #1 in lowest self-reported obesity rates, it falls sixth in the overall health ranking, with Washington, Massachusetts, Vermont, Utah, and Connecticut preceding it in the top positions.
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Top 10 states with lowest self-reported obesity rates: The article lists the top 10 states with the lowest self-reported obesity rates, with Colorado leading the pack followed closely by Massachusetts, Hawaii, Vermont, New York, Washington, Oregon, Florida, Montana, and Utah.
Understanding these concepts provides a comprehensive view of the health factors considered in determining state-level health rankings and sheds light on the different aspects contributing to overall health and well-being in the United States.
