Best and Worst States to Live... Sorry Mississippi (Hattiesburg: eyeglasses, salaries)

[Moonlover]

America's Healthiest And Unhealthiest States
States in New England top a new set of rankings, while the South still lags.

If you want to be healthy, live in Vermont—or at least act like you do. It is the healthiest state in the country, according to a new report from the nonprofit United Health Foundation.

The annual ranking looks at 22 indicators of health, including everything from how many children receive recommended vaccinations, to obesity and smoking rates, to cancer deaths. (The foundation is funded by the insurer UnitedHealth Group).

Vermont ranked first this year thanks in part to its low rate of obesity, high number of doctors and a low rate of child poverty. New England in general sets a benchmark for the country, the report found. All six New England states are in the top 10. These states have favorable demographics and an excellent public health infrastructure, including a large number of doctors per capita.

Eight of the 10 bottom-ranked states are from the south, with Mississippi coming in dead last for the ninth consecutive year. Mississippi has a sky-high death rate from heart disease and high infant mortality. In general, residents of these states are more likely to be smokers or to be obese.

America's Healthiest And Unhealthiest States - MSN Health & Fitness - Health Topics

[jsherman9901]

Originally Posted by Moonlover

All six New England states are in the top 10. These states have favorable demographics and an excellent public health infrastructure, including a large number of doctors per capita.

That's nice, as long as you are independently wealthy or have a great job and can afford to live there.

[brickpatio]

Mississippi's rates are quite normal. On the Kaiser foundation website, Mississippi's obesity rates by ethnicity were slightly better than Minnesota and Missouri, the states listed before and after Mississippi.

[2HHI]

So whats the point? NOBODY CARES! I'd still rather live in MS over all the other states, and I've seen them all, except Alaska. MS comes in dead last with every ranking....so what....nobody Moderator cut: language , it means absolutely nothing!

[teachertype]

I live in western Massachusetts, just south of Brattleboro, VT, in an area often referred to as 'extreme southern Vermont.' The quality of medical care here is poor. If I had a serious illness I'd go to Boston, Hartford, or at the least Springfield, where the better trained doctors stay and make higher salaries and where you can get a specialist.

Have you ever spent a winter in Vermont? It's scenic and pretty, but 5 feet of snow and 18 degrees below zero is tough on the body as you get older.

Mississippi is a different culture than New England but I like both. I'm cold here today; it was dark and raw. If someone in Mississippi wants to adopt me...I'm ready to go.

[Tama]

Today was blue skies, crisp, and pretty fall colors along with lovely flowers blooming. Pansies and still some summer blooms--my Pentas is in bloom, my mums, and my lantana. Green grass and fall leaves at the same time. No gray here. No raw wind except maybe at night. Did cover the plants last night but undid it all this morning as the sun shone.

Some groups do have the risk stated in the post. But that doesn't account for one's ability to live in a way that those stats mean nothing personally. If one lives a healthy lifestyle why would it be any different from Vermont in terms of your life expectancy. What I would like to see are apples compared to apples. The healthy lifestyles in the "good" states compared to the healthy lifestyles in Mississippi. How do they compare?

Oh--medical care is top notch and every specialty except a burn center and a few esoteric needs can be found here in Hattiesburg--a fairly small city.

[Scotslass]

Originally Posted by Tama

Today was blue skies, crisp, and pretty fall colors along with lovely flowers blooming. Pansies and still some summer blooms--my Pentas is in bloom, my mums, and my lantana. Green grass and fall leaves at the same time. No gray here. No raw wind except maybe at night. Did cover the plants last night but undid it all this morning as the sun shone.

Is it not starting to get really cold yet? When does the grass normally turn brown (something i have never seen before, interesting)

[teachertype]

Originally Posted by Tama

Oh--medical care is top notch and every specialty except a burn center and a few esoteric needs can be found here in Hattiesburg--a fairly small city.

Hattiesburg is also above average for emergency care, dental, one hour eyeglasses.

[StilltheSame]

Originally Posted by brickpatio

Mississippi's obesity rates by ethnicity were slightly better than Minnesota and Missouri, the states listed before and after Mississippi.

Doesnt these states always list together -if presented alphabetically?

[Tama]

Originally Posted by Scotslass

Is it not starting to get really cold yet? When does the grass normally turn brown (something i have never seen before, interesting)

We are getting some occasional cold nights now. But annuals are still ok outside without protection--no freeze. It will start to drop below 32F at night on occasion but usually sunny and at most a jacket during the day. I seldom wear a winter coat. It is rare. A few weeks of maybe brrr type stuff when the sun sets. Grass gets brownish after a freeze but gets green again as soon as temps stop dropping so low. It is still green now. I play golf year round. Maybe an odd day it is too cold for me--but others still play. Still have to put the air conditioner on in the car in the mid-afternoon. Ha!
(Now to be fair--some summer days can roast your rear!)