In an annual ranking released by United Health Foundation, Colorado has once again earned its spot as the nation’s 8th healthiest state.
Colorado came out on top as the state with the lowest percentage of obese adults (21.3 percent) and the lowest percentage of adults who have not participated in physical activity in the past 30 days (16.2 percent).
Nationally, United Health officials cited those two statistics as among the most troubling in the study, as the American adult obesity rate increased to 29.4 percent from 27.6 percent and the rate of physical inactivity jumped from 22.9 percent to 23.5 percent.
Colorado has its trouble spots though. The state had one of the highest rates of binge-drinking incidences. Colorado’s rank of 39th for having 18.5 percent of the adult population report that they had binge-drank within the past 30 days may reflect Colorado’s younger-than-average population.
Overall, though, at a time when the “America’s Health Rankings” report shows the country is getting fatter and lazier, Colorado can take pride in being ranked among the 10 healthiest states.
The highest ranking the state attained in the 25-year study is 5th, which it achieved in 1997 and 1998.
Because of adults’ higher rates of physical activity and lower rates of obesity, Colorado also recorded a decrease in the number of adults with diabetes, from 7.4 percent of the population to 6.5 percent, the lowest number in the country.
The study also showed a 13 percent decrease in the number of preventable hospitalizations, from 43.7 per 1,000 Medicare beneficiaries to 38.2.
The statistics, including Colorado’s ranking second in the country for the lowest number of cardiovascular deaths per capita, are reflective of other surveys that have placed Colorado near the top of healthy states.
We believe in Colorado, we write about Colorado – this is our home. We want to make it the best it can be and highlight the best it has to offer, for which we are sincerely grateful. Visit the Alaris Gratitude Corner for more about why we are grateful for life in this fair city.
