There are couch potatoes and fitness fanatics everywhere, but some states definitely seem healthier than others and a new study reveals which ones are the healthiest. Fitness company BarBend crunched the numbers and ranked all 50 states on factors including access to healthcare, air pollution and food prices, as well as how healthy residents feel and whether they have good habits with nutrition and fitness.
- States with better healthcare systems, residents who are more physically active and have lower rates of smoking and obesity top the list.
- In 2024, the best state for a healthy lifestyle is Hawaii, which gets high scores for healthcare access, and nutrition, and it has the lowest consumption of sugary beverages in the U.S.
- New England dominates the top five, including New Hampshire at number two, thanks in part to healthcare access.
- The top five states also have low environmental pollution and better air quality than other states.
- Southern states didn’t score so well, with Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana landing in the bottom five.
Best States for Healthy Lifestyle:
- Hawaii
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Massachusetts
- Washington
- Connecticut
- Alaska
- Maine
- Minneesota
- Maryland
Worst States for Healthy Lifestyle:
- Nevada
- Louisiana
- West Virginia
- Texas
- Mississippi
- Indiana
- Arkansas
- Tennessee
- Alabama
- Oklahoma
Source: Newsweek
photo: Getty
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