Aloha, from Hawaii possibly the healthiest state according to Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. This is a pretty big deal since obesity rates in all other U.S states have increased. So how has Hawaii decreased there obesity rates ?

According to Kathryn Braun, director of the Office of Public health at the University of Hawaii the state has “an enormous amount of programming around health and healthy lifestyle behaviors.” These plans include biking paths,walking paths and safer routes to schools for children.

Only 17% of Hawaiians are smokers making it easier for the rate of obesity to go down.Heavy smokers are more likely to be obese versus non-smokers,according to a study published in the journal PLOS.

Hawaiians also have lower levels of depression.Only 5.9% oh Hawaiians have been diagnosed with depression.

The financial standing of a family also has a lot to do with obesity.17% of Americans said they did not have enough money to buy food.In Hawaii only 12% said they felt they did not have enough money to buy food.Americans that have less money for food tend to be more obese than those that feel they have enough money for food.Making those families that have less money to spend on food 32% more likely to be obese.This is mainly because they do not have enough money to purchase the more healthy food options, which tend to be more expensive.

Even though Hawaii has been able to drastically reduce it’s obesity problem,many Hawaiians are at risk of kidney disease.So even the healthiest state still has a couple things to work on.

Written By:Daniela Franco
Source: Huffington Post