Connecticut and the rest of the New England states rank near the top in term of the health of their residents, a new survey says.
The survey by the United Health Foundation measures residents of each state on factors that can predict future health, such as smoking and exercising, as well as statistics on such things as death and crime rates. For the second year, Vermont finished at the top, followed by Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut. Maine and Rhode Island were ranked 8th and 10th, respectively.
Connecticut ranked highest in economic factors, including per capita income and the percentage of children living in poverty. The record on healthy behavior was mixed: The state ranked 2nd in consumption of fruits and vegetables, 2nd for obesity, 8th for smoking and 13th for physical activity, on a scale where the lower numbers indicate more healthful behavior. But Connecticut was 40th for binge drinking.
Forbes has a story on the survey here; United Health’s interactive map is here.