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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A recent study ranked Ohio in the top 10 states with the most unhealthy populations in the country.
The study, conducted by Forbes Advisor, compared all 50 states across 21 metrics, including disease risk factors (such as high blood pressure and pre-diabetes), disease prevalence, substance abuse and lifestyle habits (such as smoking and exercise frequency).
After crunching the numbers, Ohio ranked in the top 10 unhealthiest states in America, securing a spot at No. 9. According to the study, approximately 196 Ohioans die from heart disease per 100,000 state residents, and 10.9% of adults have diabetes.
The state with the most unhealthy residents in the country according to the study is West Virginia. The state is home to the highest percentage (21%) of adults who smoke and the highest percentage of obese adults (41%). The state additionally had the highest rate of both diabetes and drug overdose deaths.
In second place was Mississippi, which had the highest rate of high blood pressure in adults (43.9%) and the shortest life expectancy (73 years). The state also had the highest rate of deaths caused by cancer, high blood pressure, kidney disease and stroke.
The third unhealthiest state in the country according to the study is Tennessee. The state had the highest rate of opioid misuse (about 3,743 per 100,000 adults) and prescription pain reliever misuse (about 3,190 per 100,000 adults) in the country.
Arkansas took fourth place, having the second-highest rate of chronic lower respiratory disease deaths (about 60 deaths per 100,000 residents) and the second-highest percentage of adults who smoke (18.7%). Arkansas also ranked second worst for both opioid and prescription pain reliever misuse.
The study names Kentucky as the fifth-most unhealthy state in the country. The state has the third highest rate of both cancer deaths (about 178 per 100,000 residents) and drug overdose deaths (about 45 per 100,000 residents).
Completing the top ten is Alabama at six, Louisiana at seven, Oklahoma at eight, Ohio at nine and Indiana at 10. The study notes that eight of the top 10 least healthy states are in the South.
The rate of chronic disease is projected to increase over the next few decades. Between 2025 and 2060, the number of Americans with diabetes is expected to increase by 39.3%, high blood pressure by 27.2% and obesity by 18.3%, according to the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
The top five healthiest states in the country according to the study are Hawaii, Utah, Connecticut, Minnesota and Massachusetts. The study notes five of the top 10 healthiest states are on the East Coast of the U.S.
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