How Healthy is Idaho Compared to Other States? Good & Bad News
Probably not what we want to be thinking about as we ramp up for Thanksgiving this week, but how healthy is Idaho as a whole? Are we generally pretty healthy? Let’s find out!
There’s a new report from World Population Review that shares a ranked list of the healthiest states in America. In their article, they say...
“The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. People measure health differently. Some people place more value on appearance, weight, or muscle mass, while others place more value on mental well-being, and others focus on the absence of medical conditions and disease.”
Basically, there are a lot of different factors to consider i.e., “housing, financial safety (especially household income), lifestyle/culture, employment, community safety, education, and environment.” These factors are totally different all throughout each state, which means each state can be at totally different levels of overall health.
With that said, how healthy is Idaho?
Idaho ranked number 16 on the list — just a few positions behind Utah who made the Top 10 Most Healthy States in America, along with our other western neighbors Washington and Oregon.
Kind of interesting to learn, Utah reportedly has some of the lowest rates in excessive drinking, smoking, and physical inactivity. Basically, the majority of people in Utah don’t drink, don’t smoke, and they exercise frequently.
Here are some specifics about Idaho provided by World Population Review:
Idaho Smoking Rate 15.30%
Idaho Obesity Rate 29.50%
Idaho Premature Death Rate (per 100K) 6,788
Physical Inactivity Rate 23.80%
Keep scrolling for the least educated counties in Idaho, the highest-earning cities in Idaho, and a complete list of the least healthy states in America 👇