There's no single state that's always the sickest, as it varies by illness and time, but recent data highlights New York for severe recent flu surges (early 2026), West Virginia and Mississippi for high chronic conditions and overall poor health rankings (2024-2025), and certain California cities (Bakersfield, Fresno) for general "germiness" due to air quality and allergies. Eastern states like the ACT, NSW (Australia), and NY often see high absenteeism or flu rates, while Southern states frequently rank poorly on health metrics.
The most prevalent chronic conditions experienced in Australia in 2022 were:
Places where there are big crowds and low air circulation are some of the germiest, says Dr. Valentine. That's because viruses can travel through the air in tiny droplets. For example, the virus that causes the flu can get into the air when people cough, sneeze, talk or even quietly breathe near you.
West Virginia has the highest proportion of adults with at least one chronic condition of any state, according to new analysis from KFF.
Top 5 least healthy states
🏆 Tasmania has been named Australia's healthiest state, with Hobart topping the list as the healthiest capital city, according to a new study by Monash University.
As the nation's most sport-oriented region, Colorado ranks as the fittest state in America, supported by a dense network of more than 1,200 gyms and a population that overwhelmingly embraces an active lifestyle.
Heart disease is the biggest killer in the United States, annually accounting for 21.4% of deaths. Cancer is the second biggest killer (18.5%): combined, heart disease and cancer kill 1.32 million people each year.
“Smoking is one of the most harmful things people can do to themselves,” Dr. Maniar says. Blood flow drops, slashing oxygen that fuels the heart, which compensates by spiking blood pressure, heart rate and rhythm, and can lead to hardened and narrowed arteries and blood clots causing cardiovascular disease.
In general, states in the West—particularly the Mountain West—and the Northeast tend to report healthier diets and lower rates of diet-related conditions. Vermont, Massachusetts, and Idaho are other top-ranking states in these regions.
The number one killer in the world is Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), also known as heart disease, which causes about one-third of all global deaths annually, killing millions each year and remaining the leading cause for the past two decades. Diseases like ischaemic heart disease (coronary artery disease) and stroke are major contributors, with COVID-19 temporarily disrupting trends but CVD consistently holding the top spot.
Sleeping More When You're Sick Is *Totally* Normal—And Evidence of Your Immune System in Action. The reason why being sick makes you tired (and why you sleep so much when you're sick) is because your immune system needs sleep to recover.
Medical conditions that still remain incurable
No, Australia is not 90% white; while a large majority identify with European ancestry (around 76-80% in recent years), a significant and growing portion identifies as Asian, African, Middle Eastern, or Indigenous, making it a highly multicultural nation with diverse ethnic backgrounds, not overwhelmingly white. Recent census data shows European ancestry (English, Irish, etc.) makes up a large chunk, but Asian ancestries are also substantial, with over 17% Asian population and around 3.8% identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, per the 2021 census data from Wikipedia.
Dementia is one of the most feared conditions among Australian health service consumers, second only to cancer.
Australia has an internationally recognised status of being free from all major epidemic diseases of sheep and cattle includingfFoot and mouthddisease (FMD), lumpy skin disease (LSD), scrapie and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) that are prevalent in many other areas of the world.
Personal behaviors that can affect chronic diseases include the following.
6 Things You do that Could be Damaging Your Heart
10 Daily Habits of Highly Healthy People
In the United States in 2021, the death rate was highest among those aged 85 and over, with about 17,190.5 men and 14,914.5 women per 100,000 of the population passing away.
Record numbers of men and women globally are now estimated to have reduced kidney function, a new study shows. Figures rose from 378 million people with the disease in 1990 to 788 million in 2023 as the world population grew and aged, making it for the first time a top 10 cause of death worldwide.
What are the leading causes of death in the US?
The least obese and overweight states:
Top 10 fittest countries in the world
The 70/30 rule in fitness suggests that 70% of your physical results (especially weight loss and body composition) come from nutrition and diet, while only 30% comes from exercise (gym workouts), emphasizing that what you eat is far more crucial for changing your physique than just working out, though both are important for overall health and muscle building. It highlights that while the gym breaks down muscles (the 30% effort), the kitchen (the 70%) provides the essential fuel, protein, and rest for them to repair and grow stronger.