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Vermont is No. 1

How sick is your state? You might be surprised. Just like people, a state may look healthy on the outside but on the inside it could be in rough shape. Why is this important? For any number of reasons. For example, a high prevalence of obesity may not directly affect families who are moderate eaters, but the fact that obese people are prone to certain health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes means they could pose an outsize economic threat because of higher medical costs and missed work days. Other factors, such as violent crime and air pollution, have a more direct impact of course. To help individuals, government, and business assess the health of their state, America's Health Rankings has released its 20th annual report, which tracks 22 measures including obesity, smoking, availability of health insurance, and prenatal care. What is most arresting about the report is that it once again shows a plateauing in the nation's health, particularly in terms of prevention and chronic disease. As the report itself states, it "provides compelling evidence of the need for much greater attention to health promotion and disease prevention by all segments of our society."

To see how your state ranks, read on.

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