Gov. John Hickenlooper attributes Colorado’s status as the least obese and most active state to Coloradans’ love of the outdoors.
Colorado ranks as the least obese and most active state in the nation. But we have seven states ahead of us in overall health. Hawaii ranks No. 1.
The annual study, released by the United Health Foundation, is the longest standing state-by-state report looking at health trends including obesity, physical activity, diabetes and smoking,
In a statement released by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Gov. John Hickenlooper attributes our high rankings to Coloradans love of the outdoors.
CDPHE head Larry Wolk said that a number of factors contribute to the Coloradans health. Recent public health efforts include:
- Making it easier for parents to immunize their kids.
- Increasing driver-safety-education.
- Banning smoking in public.
- Restricting the number of cigarette ads allowed.
- Backing prescription drug monitoring programs.
- Reducing teen pregnancy with long acting reversible contraception — a program the legislature failed to fund last year.
Nationwide, there is a rise in drug deaths, diabetes, obesity and the number of children living in poverty.
Louisiana has the dubious distinction of being the most health-challenged state.
