I always find it interesting to compare health issues by geographical area. I'd like to see a comparison between Canadian Provinces.

One thing I laud about Ontario is the fast food ban in elementary schools - no more soda pop, chips, candy etc. in the vending machines and healthier meals offered up in the cafeteria. Unfortunately the ban is restricted to elementary schools as the powers that be think by the time kids reach high school its too late to change eating habits Excuse me? I changed mine in my late forties

http://content.health.msn.com/conten...0.htm?GT1=5472

My current state colorado is ranked #51 which makes sense and my former state California is #23. Colorado is a very active state and well I do have to say it isn't really known for good food

Nelie, my favorite Vietnamese and Mexican food places are in Colorado (she says with her mouth watering). And I had my all-time favorite meal in Empire, CO. Hhmm, I don't have a favorite movie, but I do have a favorite meal.

When I lived there, however, we went hiking all the time in the Rockies, and I walked 2 miles to work and 2 miles back every work day except when the temps went too low, and we were cautioned not to walk outside. Always had to outrun those thunderstorms, too.

Sheila, I can't stand the mexican food here in Colorado. I was grown up on the good mexican food in California, so much so that even though I LOVE mexican food, I won't eat it here. I'll either cook it myself or wait until I visit California. Also I found that the vietnamese food in California was better as well. Of course that is my opinion there are a lot of people here that like the mexican food.

OMG!

My state is #6. Slightly over 25% of our pop. is obese. 1 in 4!! And most of the "top" states are southern... ewww!!

Well, it is the heart attack belt of the country.

I'm surprised that Wisconsin is #34, I'd expect it to be in the top 20 at least.

Well, that's good news.... but, a pleasant surprise!

Ha ha ha we beat you. Oh wait a minute that's not a good thing. Oh well Ohio is number 10. I think if they really tracked it that it would end up more than the 24.9 that they are saying.

oklahoma is 14... kind of a shock to me.

Jillegal - my province would kick your province's butt!

I remember when I was in High School we had to fight to have a Very Fine Juice machine installed in the Cafe. Now, they have a soda machine at the end of every hall and chips and candy are allowed in the classroom. Pizza Hut found a permanant home in the cafe and the school wonders why test scores are lower and weight is higher. Sometimes I wonder who runs our school. The kids? The junk food cooporations? My daughter is in private school now and will stay there. My son is in public school because of a learning disability that they can better handle with mass resources, but he will not be attending public high school! K, not just because of the food issues, but it is a symptome of a greater problem thats occuring in schools today. What ever happened to teaching the basics? They don't teach cursive writing anymore and kids are expected to learn times tables outside of school. They don't have TIME to teach them? Spelling words have gone out the window too. When I was in school, if you spelled a work wrong, it was marked wrong. Now, creative spelling is a tool used to help the kids??? And teachers spend so much time teaching whats on the State Mastary tests, they can't focus on what is needed in the real world. What's wrong with this picture? K, getting off my soap box. . . As usual, Im off topic.

Apryl.. I agree with you! I was shocked that WI was below the national avearge. With all the beer and cheese! It would be interesting to know about not just obese... but us... the ones that are considered more seriously obese.
When I moved from California to Wisconsin I noticed a big difference - not only the size of people but how many people smoke in the mid west compared to Cali. It would interesting to know the avg life expectancy by state/province.

I heard earlier this week that those that go to church on a regular basis live longer... for whites - avg was 6 years and for blacks the avg increased to 16 years! amazing!

Dana

I don't know if I buy this. It says Massachusetts is 49.. with how many ppl are overweight here I find it hard to believe we're that low on the list.

Now my fellow canadians?! I'm sure my home province (Newfoundland) would kick all your butts... Lots and Lots of fried foods.. Can anyone say Fish & Chips!?

Hmmmm I was born in WV #3, then moved to NC #15....maybe I should keep on moving down the list

oh great!!! #4.