Missouri is Low in Annual Health Ranking

Smoking helps you lose weight?
For other pictures of the benefits of smoking, visit: http://www.nsma.org.au/propics.htm

The United Health Foundation recently published their annual ranking of America's healthiest and unhealthiest states. According to the report, which takes into account a myriad of factors, Missouri ranks as the 39th healthiest state or the 11th most unhealthy. According to this report, Missouri is tied as the 5th worst state for smoking prevalence and the 9th worst for obesity prevalence. Illinois ranked above Missouri as the 29th healthiest state overall.

To see the 2010 ranking, check out this article from Forbes.
To learn more about the report, visit the project's website.

Smoking and obesity are known to be two of the most significant risk factors for a variety of diseases -- including heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease, and type II diabetes -- which is likely one of the reasons that Missouri ranks so low overall. If Missouri is able to significantly reduce smoking and obesity rates, it is likely that overall population health will increase and we will ascend in the rankings.

Two Pertinent Pieces of News
First, the Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) was recently awarded a grant through the federal Social Innovation Fund to tackle both smoking and obesity at the same time. MFH received $2 million of funding that they are matching with another $2 million of their money to create the Social Innovation for Missouri (SIM) funding program. This pool of $4 million will be granted to approximately 10-16 communities throughout the state to integrate two successful models: Trailnet's Healthy, Active & Vibrant Communities Initiative and Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights Support for Local Tobacco Policy Change. Trailnet is thrilled to be part of this effort and will be serving as a technical assistance provider to communities that receive SIM funding from MFH. The deadline has passed for communities to apply, but stay tuned for the funding announcement in the first quarter of 2011. The SIM communities will be charting exciting new territory in the years ahead as they work to tackle both obesity and tobacco use simultaneously.

Second, the indoor smoking bans in St. Louis County and St. Louis City go into effect January 2nd, 2011. The County Health Department has launched this webpage with information about the new restrictions. Just last week, Mayor Francis Slay announced that Lambert St. Louis International Airport would finally go smoke-free. And, St. Louis County recently received a $7.6 million federal grant to help reduce smoking prevalence.

As the 11th most unhealthy state in the US, Missouri has a long way to go. However, these and other promising efforts are setting the stage for important and long-overdue improvements to Missouri's health landscape.