Out-of-shape state Kentucky ranks fourth worst state in study

Exercise provides a host of benefits when it comes to being in shape, according to study authors.

“Exercise can help boost mental health and prevent chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, and research shows it might even help you live longer,” the study states.

Kentucky also ranked in the top three worst states for heart disease in the study, with 6.1% of adults diagnosed with the condition. Only Arkansas and West Virginia ranked worse. Nationwide, 4.3% of adults have heart disease.

Overall, the state took the fourth spot for worst in shape in the nation in the RunReviews.com study, which, in addition to exercise and heart disease rates, looked at rates of diabetes and obesity, the percentage of adults receiving routine check-ups and the number of gyms available per 100,000 residents.

In many states, health statuses are highly correlated with lifestyle indicators, meaning the more gyms available and the more exercise people get, the lower the incidence of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. But in some states, there’s little relationship between residents’ health status and lifestyle indicators, underscoring that demographic differences and other factors also influence health outcomes, according to study authors.

“Health status and lifestyle indicators aren’t always aligned, and number 14, Utah, and number 28, Alaska, saw the biggest gaps between their scores for the two categories,” the study said. “Both states have below-average rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease, despite being less likely to keep up with annual wellness checkups and having fewer gyms available than the country overall.”

West Virginia, Arkansas and Mississippi were the three worst states overall. Alabama rounded out the bottom five.

The most “in-shape” states and regions were Washington D.C., Massachusetts and Colorado.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in three adults in the United States is obese, and one in nine has diabetes.

Study authors advise people to add more exercise to their routines when possible, whether it be by adding a morning walk or bicycle ride, attending an online yoga class or getting in a weekend hike. They advise finding a workout buddy to help with motivation and accountability.

The RunReviews.com study used federal data for six population-level metrics to determine the states in the best and worst shape, according to study authors. It used a Z-score distribution to scale each metric relative to the average across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and multiplied those scores by -1 if they were negatively associated with being above the national average, such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes rates. The rankings were calculated using the states’ average Z-scores across the six metrics.