Missouri Again Ranks Among the Least Healthy States in America

I would have written this earlier, but I needed a nap first. The fact that I was born and raised in Missouri probably has a lot to do with that decision as my birth state has once again been ranked among the least healthy in America.

I first saw this new ranking shared by Axios, but I believe it's based on new data from America's Health Rankings. It's really a deep dive into just about every metric that has to do with health including obesity rates, life expectancy, exercise (since I'm from Missouri, I had to Google that word) and numerous other factors that impact whether the population in a state is healthy or not.

With all of those numbers crunched, Missouri was ranked as a very dismal 39th in America for healthy or in the case of the Show Me State, not. I think I know what's going on here and will attempt to explain in layman's terms (the only terms I know) what Missouri's issues are.

First, let me say that Missouri really has no excuses. The state has so many outdoor areas and opportunities that you practically have to exert big time effort to NOT be outside and active. That being said, Missourians really don't like to be preached to. We're very set in our ways and while we don't mind a brisk walk, we will not respond well to someone trying to make us do it. There's also data showing that Missouri's population is aging quickly compared to other states. When you get older, your metabolism will naturally slow down which means you'll have to work even harder to stay in shape if you eat the same (or more in my case) amount of food. I used to run several miles every day, but that's before I had kids. Now, I work two jobs and the only workout I get is getting up and going to the refrigerator to get iced tea. The health struggle in Missouri is real.