5) Arkansas
Ranking 6th in the nation for shorter life spans is Arkansas where residents, on average, live 76 years. The state has a high incidence of premature death, higher infant mortality rates, a significant number of cardiovascular deaths, and higher occupational fatalities when compared to the rest of the country. The state ties with New York for 43rd in the number of residents who exercise regularly. Even after the Affordable Care Act passed, about 12% of the state remained uninsured. In 2006, the state enacted a statewide smoking ban that excluded some restaurants and bars. Arkansas is usually ranked among the nation’s least healthy states because of the sedentary lifestyles, high percentage of those who are obese, and the high number of smokers that make their home in the state.
