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Utah ranked second-healthiest state in the U.S.

Megan Pickett

What draws many to cross-country skiing is that it's outdoor exercise across scenic territory in crisp, fresh air.

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — In a new ranking, Utah is among the healthiest. According to data gathered by Forbes Advisor from The CDC and Kaiser Foundation, Utah ranked the second healthiest population in the U.S. following Hawaii.

As World Cancer Day approaches Feb. 5, Utah ranked best in the nation for the lowest Cancer incidence rate (356.61 diagnoses per 100,000 state residents) and lowest Cancer mortality rate (99.99 deaths per 100,000 state residents.)

Utah also had the lowest hypertension mortality rate (5.57 deaths per 100,000 state residents), Stroke mortality rate( 27.44 deaths per 100,000 state residents), and Chronic liver disease mortality rate (8.54 deaths per 100,000 state residents).

One of the reasons Utah ranked so highly in the nation is because Utah had the lowest percentage of smokers, only 7.77% percent of residents reported that they smoke.

“If smoking continues at the current rate among U.S. youth, 5.6 million of today’s Americans younger than 18 years of age are expected to die prematurely from a smoking-related illness. ” The CDC said, “This represents about one in every 13 Americans aged 17 years or younger who are alive today.”

Utah ranked 5th in healthiest lifestyles and had one of the lowest percentages of heavy drinkers. The CDC defines heavy drinking as 8 or more drinks per woman, and 15 or more drinks per man per week. Only 4.2% of adults in Utah met the requirements for heavy drinking.

“Excessive alcohol use is a leading preventable cause of death in the United States,” said the CDC, ” shortening the lives of those who die by an average of 26 years.”

Another reason Utah is ranked so highly is that only 17.23% of Utah Adults reported that they did not exercise in the last month.

Utah also ranks second lowest for both heart disease deaths (118.65 deaths per 100,000 state residents) and chronic lower respiratory disease deaths (26.48 deaths per 100,000 state residents.)

Although Hawaii residents hold the top spot for healthiest, Utah residents tied with them for having the seventh lowest rate of substance abuse overall. Utah is still 12th in the nation for reporting opioid misuse. The CDC stated that nearly 92,000 people died from a drug-involved overdose in 2020 in the U.S., this included illicit drugs and prescription opioids.

West Virginia was rated the least healthy state, To learn the top 5 least healthy, and top 5 healthiest states, check out the rest of Forbes Advisor’s list.