Louisiana Named Second-Most Unhealthy State in the U.S.
If you have lived in Louisiana or even just visited, you know how much we love our food here. Okay, let's be frank -- we love our fatty, greasy and just flat-out unhealthy food.
This should make it no surprise that according to a new study, Louisiana has been named the second most unhealthy state in the United States.
Now, this study didn't just look at the foods we eat. Several other factors led to this dubious ranking for Louisiana.
What factors determined the most unhealthy states?
The study analyzed data from sources including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Lung Association.
It assessed five factors:
- Diabetes Rates
- Smoking Rates
- Obesity Rates
- Food Insecurity
- Air Quality
These factors were used to create an index that identified the healthiest and unhealthiest states in the US.
Key Findings for Louisiana
Unfortunately, Louisiana ranked among the top five worst states in four of the five factors:
- Air Quality - 5th worst (44 AQI)
- Diabetes Rates - 4th worst (12.40%)
- Smoking Rates - 7th worst (16.70%)
- Food Insecurity Rates - 3rd worst (14.5%)
- Obesity Rates - 4th worst (38.10%)
The Top 10 Unhealthiest States
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Oklahoma
READ MORE: Louisiana Lottery Officials Confirm $1 Million Jackpot Winner
The Top 10 Healthiest States
- Hawaii
- Massachusetts
- Washington
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
- Colorado
- Minnesota
- Florida
- New Jersey
- Rhode Island
To see the complete report, click here.
In Memoriam: 2024 Deaths
Gallery Credit: Allison Rapp