Key findings:
- Colorado, California and Utah are the most heart-healthy states.
- Kentucky, Oklahoma and Alabama are the least heart-healthy states.
- National Health Interview Survey found physical inactivity has declined sharply among adults, from 40.2% to 25.9% between 2005 and 2017.
- 33% of Americans have high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
- Heart-healthy states have 28% less obesity rates than the worst heart-healthy states.
The CDC estimates heart disease costs the United States over $219 billion dollars each year in healthcare costs and loss of productivity. Given the significant economic impact heart disease has on the country we wanted to take a deeper look into where heart health could be having the worst impacts. We here at QuoteWizard analyzed CDC data to evaluate each state on heart health risk factors. Those factors include the prevalence of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease and heart disease mortality rate in each state. Our goal is to see which states are the most and least heart-healthy.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America for men and women. The prevalence of heart health does vary across the country in which states maintain a better bill of heart health and which have a higher rate of pre-existing heart conditions. Colorado, California and Utah were rated the most heart-healthy according to our analysis. Low prevalence in the heart health risk factors makes those states among the most heart healthy.
There is a strong correlation between each heart-healthy state. We looked at further CDC data on high physical activity and low rates of obesity. Colorado rates the highest in the country for physical activity and lowest rates of obesity. Utah was second behind Colorado in highest rate of physical activity. Other heart-healthy states like Massachusetts, Hawaii and Washington also rate among the most active and least obese. On the opposite end of the correlation the least heart-healthy states like Kentucky, Mississippi and West Virginia rate among the least active and most obese.
The top heart-healthy states were 28% less obese than the least heart-healthy states. Drawing the strong connection from heart health to obesity rates and physical activity. While the most heart-healthy states are leaders in physical activity, the National Health Interview Survey found inactivity rates among adults fell from 40.2% to 25.9% between 2005 and 2017. With more adults being active we could see a positive trend in obesity rates and ultimately heart health.
Methodology
QuoteWizard analyzed CDC data to evaluate states on heart health risk factors. We analyzed prevalence of the following heart health risk factors in each state: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease and heart disease mortality rates. Overall rankings are a composite score between the four heart health risk factors. States with the highest ranking are considered to be the most heart-healthy. High blood pressure, high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease are a prevalence rate that estimates the percentage of the population with the condition. Heart disease mortality rate is a per capita figure per 100,000 people.
| Rank | State | High Blood Pressure | High Cholesterol | Cardiovascular Disease | Heart Disease Mortality Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CO | 25.9 | 30.3 | 3.4 | 124.3 |
| 2 | CA | 28.4 | 30.8 | 3.1 | 139.7 |
| 3 | UT | 24.5 | 28.6 | 3.3 | 146.4 |
| 4 | MA | 28.6 | 32.5 | 2.9 | 131.5 |
| 5 | HI | 30.6 | 31.8 | 3 | 125.6 |
| 6 | WA | 29.5 | 31.8 | 3.2 | 135.4 |
| 7 | MN | 26.6 | 29 | 4.4 | 119 |
| 8 | CT | 30.5 | 32.3 | 2.7 | 142.1 |
| 9 | OR | 30.1 | 32.1 | 3.3 | 128.4 |
| 10 | NE | 30.6 | 31.9 | 3.1 | 145.7 |
| 11 | VT | 30.4 | 30.4 | 3.4 | 150.5 |
| 12 | NH | 30 | 32.9 | 2.9 | 151 |
| 13 | AZ | 30.7 | 33.4 | 3 | 136.4 |
| 14 | MT | 29 | 28.9 | 3.8 | 163.2 |
| 15 | SD | 30.8 | 29.5 | 3.7 | 156.3 |
| 16 | ND | 29.5 | 31.1 | 5.2 | 140 |
| 17 | ID | 29.8 | 30.8 | 4.4 | 157.9 |
| 18 | NM | 30.5 | 31.4 | 4.9 | 148.2 |
| 19 | AK | 31.8 | 31.3 | 5.5 | 129.7 |
| 20 | FL | 34.6 | 35.9 | 2.5 | 143.1 |
| 21 | GA | 33.1 | 31.1 | 3.1 | 175.8 |
| 22 | TX | 32.5 | 33 | 2.9 | 170 |
| 23 | NY | 29.4 | 32.6 | 3.9 | 171.9 |
| 24 | WY | 30.8 | 30.8 | 7.3 | 152.7 |
| 25 | IL | 32.3 | 32.5 | 3.6 | 163.9 |
| 26 | MD | 32.4 | 32.5 | 4.1 | 161.9 |
| 27 | ME | 34.8 | 37.4 | 3.1 | 147 |
| 28 | RI | 33.1 | 33 | 3.7 | 158.9 |
| 29 | MO | 32 | 34.3 | 3.3 | 188.4 |
| 30 | NV | 32.7 | 33.1 | 3.3 | 190.7 |
| 31 | NJ | 33 | 34.6 | 3.4 | 163 |
| 32 | WI | 30.8 | 34.5 | 5.2 | 157.8 |
| 33 | PA | 32.6 | 33 | 4.2 | 176.1 |
| 34 | VA | 32.4 | 34.7 | 6.8 | 147.9 |
| 35 | TN | 38.7 | 36.5 | 2.5 | 202.4 |
| 36 | IA | 31.5 | 34.1 | 5.6 | 165.1 |
| 37 | NC | 34.8 | 35.5 | 4.1 | 155.5 |
| 38 | KS | 32.8 | 34.1 | 5.4 | 158.9 |
| 39 | DE | 34.9 | 34.6 | 4.2 | 159.1 |
| 40 | AR | 41.4 | 36.8 | 2.5 | 217.4 |
| 41 | IN | 35.2 | 34.1 | 3.9 | 180.7 |
| 42 | OH | 34.7 | 33.4 | 4.3 | 191.1 |
| 43 | MI | 34.7 | 35.1 | 4.7 | 195 |
| 44 | WV | 43.5 | 39.7 | 3.2 | 196.4 |
| 45 | SC | 38.1 | 36.7 | 4.9 | 167 |
| 46 | MS | 40.8 | 37.7 | 3.4 | 222.1 |
| 47 | LA | 39 | 37.6 | 3.7 | 212.2 |
| 48 | AL | 41.9 | 37.2 | 3.5 | 224.7 |
| 49 | OK | 37.7 | 37 | 4 | 228.5 |
| 50 | KY | 39.4 | 38.1 | 4.2 | 198.3 |
References:
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