Check out the worst ten states on the bottom of the list...did't them all vote for Bush? We must also note that your health has great bearing on your ability to learn.  I must add that five of the New England States are in the top ten, Rhode Island comes in at 14.  :)

The 2004 results for America's Health: State Health Rankings are listed below, with the top of the list being the healthiest. The scores represent how a state compares with the national norm. For example, a state with a score of 10 is 10% above the national average. A negative score means a state is below the national average.

/www.unitedhealthfoundation.org/shr2004/

Rank/State/Score:

1 Minnesota 25.0
2 New Hampshire 23.9
3 Vermont 22.8
4 Hawaii 17.7
5 Utah 17.6
6 Massachusetts 17.3
7 North Dakota 15.8
8 Connecticut 15.0
9 Wisconsin 14.4
10 Maine 13.7
11 Iowa 13.2
12 Nebraska 11.7
13 Colorado 11.6
14 Rhode Island 10.9
15 Washington 9.1
16 Kansas 7.3
17 New Jersey 7.2
18 Idaho 6.4
19 South Dakota 6.3
20 Virginia 5.9
21 Oregon 5.2
22 California 3.6
23 Arizona 3.0
24 Alaska 2.9
25 Pennsylvania 2.8
26 Montana 2.1
26 Ohio 2.1
28 Wyoming 2.0
29 Illinois 0.3
29 Michigan 0.3
31 New York 0.1
32 Delaware -0.1
32 Indiana -0.1
34 Maryland -2.0
35 Texas -2.7
36 Missouri -4.2
37 Nevada -5.8
38 New Mexico -6.6
39 Kentucky -7.1
40 Oklahoma -7.2
41 North Carolina -7.5
42 Florida -8.4
43 Alabama -10.4
43 West Virginia -10.4
45 Georgia -11.1
46 Arkansas -12.1
47 South Carolina -12.9
48 Tennessee -13.1
49 Mississippi -20.2
50 Louisiana -21.3

How funny. Unfortunately, they will have to live (or die) by their choice. Case closed.

Tanya

2 New Hampshire 23.9



Wow, I though you and Maxwell said that New Hampshire was primative, ''the deep south of new england,'' and some other things, but here it is beating your states and being the #1 new england state.  But let me guess, thats Massachusetts doing, right?

Wow, I though you and Maxwell said that New Hampshire was primative, ''the deep south of new england,'' and some other things, but here it is beating your states and being the #1 new england state.  But let me guess, thats Massachusetts doing, right?

NH is also my state.  It was my childhood home, and I've lived there for a few stretches since.  NH is has some primitive areas, and primitive attitudes, but the majority of the population is concentrated in the southeast of the state, wich has become the exurbs of Boston.

I haven't studied all the factors that go into those rankings, but the fact that a state as poor as North Dakota scored in the top 10 suggests that low population and racial homegeneity may help.

I haven't studied all the factors that go into those rankings, but the fact that a state as poor as North Dakota scored in the top 10 suggests that low population and racial homegeneity may help.


It has to do with the peoples' health in a state.  Eating, drinking, smoking.  No surprise Utah is high on the list with the alcohol restrictions that state has.  It has nothing to do with the states' government, or how much they put into healthcare, its all about eating Maxwell, that is why North Dakota did so well.

This is why I am not surprised that a lot of the vegaterian/vegan tofu-farting new england states (and California) did so well, and why hunting states are so low.  I don't know a single person who goes one meal without some red meat on the table.

It has to do with the peoples' health in a state.  Eating, drinking, smoking.  No surprise Utah is high on the list with the alcohol restrictions that state has.  It has nothing to do with the states' government, or how much they put into healthcare, its all about eating Maxwell, that is why North Dakota did so well.

This is why I am not surprised that a lot of the vegaterian/vegan tofu-farting new england states (and California) did so well, and why hunting states are so low.  I don't know a single person who goes one meal without some red meat on the table.




Could it be that the health education is too poor to teach people how to eat healthy, or is it that they know how dangerous their eating habits are but do it anyway? Either way, the situation boils down to stupid, especially the latter!

This is why I am not surprised that a lot of the vegaterian/vegan tofu-farting new england states (and California) did so well, and why hunting states are so low.  I don't know a single person who goes one meal without some red meat on the table.




On what planet are the New England States you are refering to?  Just on the way home (a 10 min. drive) I saw 3 deer hanging in hunters' yards.  I don't hunt myself - tried it once in NJ and got shot - but we love venison.  In Vermont you can buy venison during and three weeks after hunting season.  We lay in a supply.  New England is overwhelmingly carnivorous, but what do you have against veges?  Let me add that if tofu makes you fart, you needn't fill us in on the details.

People's health obviously has to do with a combination of healthy life style, access to med care, and environmental quality.  New England ranks high because lots of people are covered by insurance, which we in Vermont can thank Howard Dean for, have a reasonable clean environment, thanks to Madaline Khunan (Dem gov) and our Act 250, and many of us live in a relatively stress free environment, which implies an acceptable economy. 

Wow, I though you and Maxwell said that New Hampshire was primative, ''the deep south of new england,'' and some other things, but here it is beating your states and being the #1 new england state.  But let me guess, thats Massachusetts doing, right?


New Hampshire is probably the number one New England state because they are very close to the
Massachusetts and are really big crybabies who run to the doctor for a hangnail,with the benefits they
recieve from good jobs they have here in Massachusetts. ;D

Massachusetts and are really big crybabies who run to the doctor for a hangnail,with the benefits they
recieve from good jobs they have here in Massachusetts. ;D


Was I right or was I right?  Both you and MaxwellSmart gave the credit of New Hampshire's #2 overall rating to Massachusetts.

Hmm....#45.....pass the pork reins.

It has to do with the peoples' health in a state.  Eating, drinking, smoking.  No surprise Utah is high on the list with the alcohol restrictions that state has.  It has nothing to do with the states' government, or how much they put into healthcare, its all about eating Maxwell, that is why North Dakota did so well.

This is why I am not surprised that a lot of the vegaterian/vegan tofu-farting new england states (and California) did so well, and why hunting states are so low.  I don't know a single person who goes one meal without some red meat on the table.



As DC points out, there are plenty of hunters across NE, especially in the northern tiers of Vermont, NH, and Maine.

Fresh meat from the trail is purer and more nutritious than store-bought meat.  Of course, if you don't know how to carve, prepare, and store your own meat, you could easily die of food poisoning.  Otherwise, you're better off going fresh.

It's not meat so much as meat quality and how it's prepared.  It's no surprise Louisiana is rock bottom.  Deep fried pig's knuckles might be a tasty treat, but your ticker won't agree.  There's also fast foods, processed foods, saturated fats, hydrogenated oils, food additives, and corn sugars.  The gargantuan portions favored by Americans helps obesity and clog arteries on their way, too!

I'm still trying to figure out the North Dakota anomaly.

Was I right or was I right?  Both you and MaxwellSmart gave the credit of New Hampshire's #2 overall rating to Massachusetts.



Don't let stereotypes go too far.  There are plenty of working class borroughs in Massachusetts where the people could just as easily be among the working class of Indiana, Texas, North Carolina, or Kansas.

It is also funny that the state with the lowest taxes, Alaska, is doing better than the state with the highest taxes, New York.

It is also funny that the state with the lowest taxes, Alaska, is doing better than the state with the highest taxes, New York.

I don't think that theory will stand up to further scrutiny!
::)

Actually, Alaska has the highest rate of food-borne illnesses in the nation.  The cuisine of the indiginous peoples of the north include many revolting preparations of fetid meat and animal products.  It seems since their traditional folk ways got replaced with modern refrigeration, they've lost some ability to create these comestibles safely. 
I'm culturally biased, of course, I can't help thinking that dining on putrifying beaver tails and "stink eggs" (fermented salmon roe and seal oil) as "revolting."
:P
See also:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/040319.html

Hmm....#45.....pass the pork reins.


Hey, I am right in front of you, #43.  And I also moved here from California, #22.

Personally, I think Health Care (like Minimum Wage) should be a STATE issue.

And last time I checked, a hospital still could not refuse treatment because of inability to pay.