Report: NJ One Of The Healthiest States; Pa., Del. Not So Much
By Chelsea Karnash
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – New Jersey is one of the nation's healthiest states, a new reports reveals.
The 2013 America's Health Rankings were just released, and the Garden State made the list of the top 10 healthiest states in the country, coming in at number 10.
According to the data, the state's "strengths" are listed as its low rate of drug deaths, low percentage of children in poverty and ready availability of doctors and dentists.
Of course, the news isn't all good: Smoking is up three-percent and obesity is up four-percent. Still, the state's air pollution levels have decreased 37-percent in the last five years, and the rate of cardiovascular deaths decreased by one-third over the last 10 years.
But Pennsylvania and nearby Delaware didn't fare nearly as well. The Keystone State ranked 29th, while Delaware came in 31st.
According to America's Health Rankings, the report was created by analyzing "a comprehensive set of behaviors, public and health policies, community and environmental conditions, and clinical care data to provide a holistic view of the health of the nation."
For more info, visit: www.americashealthrankings.org/About
