Iowa improves to No. 22 in study of healthiest states

CEDAR RAPIDS - Hawaii is the healthiest state, Louisiana is the unhealthiest and Iowa improved two notches to become No. 22, according to the 2015 America's Health Rankings, an extensive study issued annually for the last 26 years by the UnitedHealth Foundation, affiliated with the health insurer.

The study found some good news for the nation: Smoking decreased last year (from 19 to 18.1 percent of adults); fewer died of cancer (down 4 percent since 1990 to 189.6 per 100,000 population); and air pollution continued to get better (decreasing 24 percent in the last decade).

But it also found some bad news: Drug deaths increased last year (up 4 percent to 13.5 deaths per 100,000 population); obesity is up (7 percent in two years to 29.6 percent of adults); and diabetes continues to grow (now 10 percent of the adult population, up from 4.4 percent 20 years ago).

Here's some of what the study found about Iowa:

Excessive drinking: Iowa was among the five worst-ranked states for binge and chronic drinking.

High school graduation: Iowa ranked best in the nation for students who graduated high school within four years of starting ninth grade with a regular diploma.

Health insurance: Iowa ranked as one of the best states in the nation for the percentage of people who have health insurance.

Vegetables: Iowans reported eating less than two vegetables a day, putting the state in the lowest category.

Sleep: Iowans reported they got a good night's sleep. Fewer than a third said they got less than seven hours a night, putting the state in the best category.

For the full study, see americashealthrankings.org