Hawaiians are the healthiest Americans, study says

Hawaii ranks number one in the US for overall sense of well-being for the fifth year in a row.

The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index report released Wednesday said that Hawaiians top the ranks in physical health, outlook on life, job satisfaction and a number of other indicators.

The survey asks residents about their own well-being.

While the US average is about half of residents say they are "thriving" in their lives, 60 percent of Hawaiians say they are, said USA Today.

States with better rankings also have less obesity and better health outcomes than those at the bottom.

The rankings were determined through phone surveys of 1000 people collected daily throughout the year.

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The participants were asked about everything from their job, to their lifestyle, to their health conditions, reported Time.

The healthiest states were Hawaii, Utah, Minnesota, Colorado and Montana.

The least healthiest tended to be the Southern states like Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi.

The New York Times reported that the country hasn't changed much in the last five years even despite a major economic crisis and recovery.

To see the full report click here.

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