How Healthy is Colorado?

Everyone likes to assume that they're healthy. Much like a clunker car, we like to assume everything is working fine until something from inside starts making a noise it didn't used to. It's not the most proactive health regime, but it'll do ya in a pinch, it seems.

Likewise, people like to assume that theirs is the best state in the Union. As if no one in any other state could do anything better than they do it in Georgia. We're not immune to that here in Colorado, lest you ever forget to point out your native status to a transplant.

As assumptions abound, you'd think there'd be a whole lot of overlap on things people assume. Believe it or not, you'd be absolutely correct!

This is an examination of such an overlap.

When health and state-pride combine, you can end up with a lot of shouting about who's number one. Except from Florida. They never claim to be the best at anything but space and gators. But every other state will assume they are the healthiest.

I'll admit, I assumed Colorado would be the healthiest state. When you think about it, it makes sense: Colorado and the outdoors are as synonymous as heat and the sun. You'd assume the popularity of outdoor activities in Colorado would translate to the healthiest populace, right?

Unfotunately, you'd be incorrect.

According to World Population Review, Colorado is indeed a healthy state. Just not the healthiest. No, that honor belongs to Vermont, based on data from America's Health Rankings.

What they looked at was the incidence of healthy behaviors, taking into account things like sleep health, tobacco use, etc. With those as the benchmarks, Colorado actually ends up rounding out the top-ten, coming in behind Massachusetts, Hawaii, Connecticut, Utah (dang it), New Hampshire, Minnesota, New Jersey (REALLY!?), and Washington.

Not the best news, but at least we're doing better than Louisiana. They're dead-last.

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