Minnesota #1 in U.S. Health Rankings

Minnesota was rated the healthiest state in the Union, according to rankings by the United Health Foundation.

According the the Foundation, “Minnesota’s strengths include ranking first for a low rate of cardiovascular deaths, a low premature death rate and a low percentage of uninsured population.  It is also in the top five states with a low percentage of children in poverty, a low infant mortality rate, a low occupational fatalities rate, a low rate of motor vehicle deaths and a high rate of high school graduation.”

The study indicated that the biggest challenge for Minnesota was obesity, which affects 23.7% of the state’s population.

In a statement given to USA Today, Gov. Tim Pawlenty said he was pleased with the rankings, but not content to stand pat.

“We are not living as healthy as we should, and we are dying too soon. There is nothing more worthy of a sustained national conversation than this,” he said.

Minnesota’s neighbors all scored well in the state rankings.  North Dakota was ranked eighth in the study, Wisconsin tenth, Iowa eleventh, and South Dakota eighteenth.

The remainder of the top five healthiest states were Vermont, New Hampshire, Hawai’i, and Connecticut.  Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas made up the five least healthy states.