Just listened to West Virginia Governor Jim Justice’s last State of the State address.
Charleston, West Virginia, January 10, 2024
He talked a lot about jobs and tourism and education. And he left the impression that things are just peachy. He’s hoping to cash in on his popularity as Governor and move to Washington, D.C. to take Joe Manchin’s seat in the U.S. Senate.
“I want you to just close your eyes,” Justice said to his statewide audience. “And imagine that place that abounds in natural resources beyond belief, like I said before, is close to two thirds of the population of the country, has four unbelievable seasons and the greatest people on the planet.”
“But imagine the state is booming job after job, company after company, hope and belief beyond belief. Travel guides say West Virginia of all places is the place to be.”
“And now open your eyes and know that place is us, is West Virginia.”
That’s one way to determine the state of the state.
Here’s another.
Look at the state of the citizens of West Virginia.
They crunched the numbers on the states with the most healthy and least healthy populations.
The least healthy population?
West Virginia.
“West Virginia is the most unhealthy state in America, based on our analysis,” Forbes Advisor found. “The Mountain State ranks worst overall in our lifestyle habits and health outlook category.”
West Virginia’s sobering statistics include:
Highest percentage of adults who smoke (21%).
Highest percentage of obese adults (41%).
Second shortest life expectancy (73.9 years).
Third highest percentage of adults who did not exercise in the past month (30.2%).
West Virginia also ranks second worst in disease risk factors and prevalence category.
West Virginia stands out as the state with the:
Highest percentage of adults with high cholesterol (41%).
Highest diabetes mortality rate (41.7 deaths per 100,000 state residents).
Second highest kidney disease mortality rate (21.07 deaths per 100,000 state residents).
Second highest cancer mortality rate (178.9 deaths per 100,000 state residents).
Second highest percentage of adults with high blood pressure (43.4%).
Third highest percentage of adults with diagnosed diabetes (13.1%).
Third highest chronic lower respiratory disease mortality rate (60.07 deaths per 100,000 state residents).
Fifth highest hypertension mortality rate (12.33 deaths per 100,000 state residents).
Out of all 50 states, West Virginia also had the highest drug overdose death rate (75.03 per 100,000 state residents), more than 50% higher than the second-worst state (Delaware).
Governor Justice took office in 2016, when similar rankings put West Virginia as the seventh least healthy state.
Now we’re number one.