If you live in Massachusetts, you may have some new bragging rights. The New England state has been named the healthiest one in which to live this year, according to a new report from the United Health Foundation.
If you’re from Mississippi, however, you may be singing the blues. The Magnolia State was at the bottom of the rankings, with Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, and West Virginia also in the bottom five.
The report ranks states on 35 factors that impact health, such as infant mortality rates, vaccination levels, poverty levels and environmental pollution. The analysis also highlights public health challenges throughout the U.S.
The rankings, called America’s Health Rankings®, was built upon the World Health Organization definition of health: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
For more on the findings, STAT has the story here.