Report ranks Iowa 14th best for well-being
Iowans’ well-being relative to the rest of the nation improved slightly over last year, according to annual national index results released today by the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative. Iowa ranks 14th among the states in the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, up from 16th a year ago.
“This report reveals a moderate improvement in overall well-being of Iowans,” said Jami Haberl, Iowa Healthiest State Initiative executive director. “It is encouraging to see Iowa move up in the rankings and make strides in our goal to become the healthiest state.”
Iowa’s overall score improved in all elements except community. Iowa’s highest rank is in the financial well-being element, at fifth in the nation. Iowans report they generally have enough resources to buy food and do everything they want to do. The area with the greatest potential for improvement is the physical element. Iowa ranks last in terms of fruit and vegetable consumption, 38th in obesity and 36th in smokeless tobacco.
“While we are excited about the improvements shown, there is still a lot of work to be done,” Haberl said. “In the coming year, the Healthiest State Initiative will be focusing on increasing the number of Iowans living an active and healthy lifestyle.”
The Iowa Healthiest State Initiative’s goal when it was launched five years ago was for Iowa, ranked 19th at the time, to become the healthiest state in the nation by 2016. Iowa ranked among the top 10 states for overall well-being in the 2013 and 2014 rankings, but slipped from 10th to 16th last year.
In addition to capturing aspects of physical health, the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index examines Americans’ perceptions on topics that span individuals’ sense of purpose, social relationships, financial security and relationship to their community. These five interrelated elements have been proved to directly influence the quality of life, health care costs and workplace productivity.
The Healthiest State Initiative promotes getting Iowans moving and eating better through activities such as the Healthiest State Walk, Live Healthy Iowa challenges, the Smarter Plate and Blue Zones Project® programs.
Click here to access the report on the most recent rankings.
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