RANKED: Healthiest States

Insurance giant United Healthcare has ranked the "healthiest states" according to factors like diet, exercise, smoking, obesity, etc.

For the fifth year in a row, Vermont is the nation’s healthiest state. States that showed the most substantial improvement include New York and New Jersey, both moving up six places, largely because of improvements made in smoking cessation. Idaho and Alaska showed the most downward movement. Idaho dropped 10 spots, from number nine to 19 in this year’s Rankings, and Alaska dropped five places. Mississippi is 50th and the least healthy state, while Louisiana is 49th. Oklahoma, Arkansas and Alabama complete the bottom five states.

According to United Healthcare, 17.3% of adults are smokers, an all-time low. Twenty years ago that number was almost 30%. (Via -Igor Volsky)