Healthiest State Rankings Of 2012

And The Healthiest State Is...
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Americans, on a whole, are dying less from cancer and heart-related causes, but at the same time, chronic conditions like obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and sedentary living are on the rise, according to a new report ranking the health of each U.S. state.

The report, released by UnitedHealth Group's nonprofit, the United Health Foundation, in association with the American Public Health Association and the Partnership for Prevention, shows that 27.8 percent of all Americans are obese, 9.5 percent have diabetes, 30.8 percent have hypertension and 26.2 percent lead sedentary lifestyles.

However, premature deaths and deaths from heart disease and cancer have decreased since 1990.

"As a nation, we've made extraordinary gains in longevity over the past decades, but as individuals we are regressing in our health," Dr. Reed Tuckson, M.D., medical adviser to the United Health Foundation and chief of medical affairs for UnitedHealth Group, said in a statement.

The report also showed disparities in other health categories between the states who scored the highest for health, and the states that scored the lowest. For example, the five least healthy states had smoking rates between 23.1 percent and 28.6 percent, compared with 16.8 percent to 19.4 percent in the five most healthy states.

Similar patterns were seen for sedentary behavior: In the five least healthy states, sedentary lifestyles -- defined as 30 days of not exercising outside of work -- were led by 27.2 to 36 percent of people, compared with 21 to 35 percent in the five healthiest states.

The rankings of the states are based on the results of telephone interviews. Determinants include smoking, binge drinking, obesity, high school graduation rates, sedentary lifestyle, children in poverty, infectious disease cases, air pollution, violent crime, health insurance, immunizations, primary care doctors, hospitalizations, and rate of conditions and deaths, such as cancer, obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

Click through the slideshow to see the rankings, from the healthiest to the least-healthy state. How did your state fare?

2012 Healthiest State Rankings
1. Vermont(01 of37)
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Vermont was ranked the healthiest state in the country in 2012; it held the same ranking last year. (credit:alamy)
2. Hawaii(02 of37)
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Hawaii was ranked the second healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was third. (credit:alamy)
3. New Hampshire(03 of37)
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New Hampshire was ranked the third healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was second. (credit:alamy)
4. Massachusetts(04 of37)
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Massachusetts was ranked the fourth healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was seventh. (credit:alamy)
6. Connecticut(05 of37)
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Connecticut was ranked the sixth healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was fourth. (credit:Shutterstock)
7. Utah(06 of37)
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Utah was ranked the seventh healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was fifth. (credit:alamy)
8. New Jersey(07 of37)
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New Jersey was ranked the eighth healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 17th. (credit:alamy)
10. Rhode Island(08 of37)
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Rhode Island was ranked the 10th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 13th. (credit:alamy)
11. Colorado(09 of37)
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Colorado was ranked the11th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 14th. (credit:alamy)
12. North Dakota(10 of37)
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North Dakota was ranked the 12th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 11th. (credit:alamy)
13. Washington(11 of37)
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Washington was ranked the 13th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was ninth. (credit:alamy)
13. Oregon(12 of37)
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Oregon was ranked the 13th healthiest state in the country in 2012 (tied with Washington state). In 2011, it was eighth. (credit:alamy)
15. Nebraska(13 of37)
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Nebraska was ranked the 15th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 18th. (credit:alamy)
16. Wisconsin(14 of37)
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Wisconsin was ranked the 16th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 12th. (credit:alamy)
18. New York(15 of37)
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New York was ranked the 18th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 20th. (credit:alamy)
20. Iowa(16 of37)
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Iowa was ranked the 20th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 16th. (credit:alamy)
21. Virginia(17 of37)
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Virginia was ranked the 21st healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 23rd. (credit:alamy)
22. California(18 of37)
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California was ranked the 22nd healthiest state in the country in 2012; it held the same rank in 2011. (credit:alamy)
23. Wyoming(19 of37)
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Wyoming was ranked the 23rd healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 21st. (credit:alamy)
24. Kansas(20 of37)
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Kansas was ranked the 24th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 25th. (credit:alamy)
25. Arizona(21 of37)
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Arizona was ranked the 25th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 27th. (credit:alamy)
27. South Dakota(22 of37)
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South Dakota was ranked the 27th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 19th. (credit:alamy)
28. Alaska(23 of37)
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Alaska was ranked the 28th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 29th. (credit:alamy)
30. Illinois(24 of37)
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Illinois was ranked the 30th healthiest state in the country in 2012; it held the same ranking in 2011. (credit:alamy)
31. Delaware(25 of37)
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Delaware was ranked the 31st healthiest state in the country in 2012; it held the same ranking in 2011. (credit:alamy)
33. North Carolina(26 of37)
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North Carolina was ranked the 33rd healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 35th. (credit:alamy)
34. Florida(27 of37)
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Florida was ranked the 34th healthiest state in the country in 2012; it held the same ranking in 2011. (credit:alamy)
36. Georgia(28 of37)
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Georgia was ranked the 36th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 38th. (credit:Alamy)
38. Nevada(29 of37)
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Nevada was ranked the 38th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 39th. (credit:alamy)
39. Tennessee(30 of37)
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Tennessee was ranked the 39th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 41st. (credit:alamy)
40. Texas(31 of37)
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Texas was ranked the 40th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 42nd. (credit:alamy)
42. Missouri(32 of37)
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Missouri was ranked the 42nd healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 40th. (credit:alamy)
43. Oklahoma(33 of37)
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Oklahoma was ranked the 43rd healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 46th. (credit:alamy)
45. Alabama(34 of37)
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Alabama was ranked the 45th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 48th. (credit:alamy)
47. West Virginia(35 of37)
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West Virginia was ranked the 47th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 43rd. (credit:alamy)
48. Arkansas(36 of37)
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Arkansas was ranked the 48th healthiest state in the country in 2012. In 2011, it was 47th. (credit:alamy)
49. Mississippi(37 of37)
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Mississippi was ranked the 49th healthiest state in the country in 2012 (tied with Louisiana); it held the same ranking in 2011. (credit:alamy)

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