INDReporter

TGFM: La. second unhealthiest state

by Walter Pierce

Once again it's thank God for Mississippi, which comes in 50th to Louisiana's 49th on a ranking of the healthiest states. Once again it's thank God for Mississippi, which comes in 50th to Louisiana's 49th on a ranking of the healthiest states.

The annual ranking, published by the United Health Foundation and funded by insurer UnitedHealth Group, rates states' residents based on 22 activities - exercise, smoking, etc. - that can predict future health. Louisiana slipped two spots from its 47th ranking in 2009, surpassed by former bottom dwellers Alabama and Oklahoma, which climbed from 48th to 45th and 49th to 46th, respectively.

Among some of the traits that determine health, Louisiana ranks ninth for smoking, second for obesity and fifth for diabetes.

Scores for states are culled from data from an assortment of public and private sources. See the ranking here; read the full report here.