Health Buzz: State Health Rankings and Other News

Reader Comments
Back to article

I wish the members of the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners were able to read and understand the above article. If they were able to read and understand what the article says Texas wouldn't be an "unhealthy" state. If they can read and understand what the article says it makes things even worse. They "just don't give a damn". They don't have to because they aren't accountable to anyone and are above the law.
May family came to Texas in 1833. I know about this place.

Dr. Nancy Sellars of TX 4:42PM December 05, 2008

I wish the members of the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners were able to read and understand the above article. If they were able to read and understand what the article says Texas wouldn't be an "unhealthy" state. If they can read and understand what the article says it makes things even worse. They "just don't give a damn". They don't have to because they are accountable to no one and are above the law.
May family came to Texas in 1833. I know about this place.

Dr. Nancy Sellars of TX 4:38PM December 05, 2008

I bet there is a direct corelation between ill health and urban sprawl. As long as you are required to jump in your car in order get anywhere, there is going to be a spiral downwards in health.

Californian of CA 5:10PM December 04, 2008

I suppose the Texas state coffers have gotten rich on oil though your employment rate is in fact near the median of the 50 states. Check the rankings, your social inhibitors are appalling - poor insurance coverage, high levels of children in poverty, limited access to primary care. I would also suggest lifestyle, how easy is it to walk/bike to work in Houston or Dallas? I'd even guess there's a correlation between a weighted miles of bike lane per square mile and preventable health issues. If health care is universalized, it appears this would be another blue states subsidy for red states.

Seth of NJ 5:04PM December 04, 2008

It's my understanding that the Texas state government is the richest in the country. We have beautiful highways, marvelous buildings, low unemployment, and a benign climate. So why is Texas 46th in health?

Charles Manning (manning120) of TX 4:41PM December 04, 2008

It is no shock as a southerner that my fellow man is morbidly obese and in ill health. The mantra in the south is to be lazy in both initiative for employment and ability to get off the sofa and cook a healthy meal. Even when the mexican immigrants,who are generally lean and full of energy stay long enough in the south,they too become fat and lazy. Maybe its a vast right-wing conspiracy to provide the chinese with a future source of cooking fat.

Dr. Victor Mcguedo of TN 4:41PM December 04, 2008

This report confirms the trend of poor health habits that Americans have inculcated into their lives. America is leading the way in self-inflicted diseases, i.e. diabetes, heart disease, lung cancer. This is especially true when one considers the amount of money the nation spends on medical treatment. However, we need to be careful when measuring infant mortality, because other countries, notably lesser developed countries, use different standards

Rick Hendricks of FL 4:39PM December 04, 2008

I see that my state is not at the very end of the list anymore.How exciting!

Ben of MI 4:32PM December 04, 2008

Spies have been dispatched and the information is flowing from Louisiana...Texans will not be second bested by anyone. Already, holiday makers 'appearing' to go to Lake Charles to gamble have received instructions to collect recipies AND grease and 'bring it on home'.
Right now the debate wages in the state legislature about importing and frying nutria -- should it be added to the currently popular mixed grille of racoon and possum or should it be offerd alone, accompanied by double dunked hush puppies and smothered in faux cheddar cheese sauce. Time will tell.
But, of course, the lock on poor health will always remain in the South, because research surpressed by the Baptists shows that goin' to church is deadly unhealthy -- you feel so saved that ya just havta eat lard.

awenshok08 of TX 4:16PM December 04, 2008

I am proud of Louisiana for not being inhibited in their eating. You never hear of hunger strikes in Louisiana prisons. Down south trans-fat is considered a nutrient, not a poison. We have even considered putting it in vitamin pills. I am sure those healthy diet, narrow blood vessel, Northerners would keel over in no time with our Louisiana diet. Fried is fabulous, let the Californians have their fat free flounder. Louisiana will be flooded with research money for obesity and cardiovascular disease an important economic stimulus in tough times. Obesity should not be viewed as a drag on health care but as a strategic fat reserve to be used in time of famine, similar to our strategic oil reserves. When the lord punishes our inequity with famine, it will be Louisiana that will survive and they will not even need manna unless it is deep fried. A new chosen group will emerge as predicted by the movie Wall-E.

Ire Verent of CT 1:43PM December 04, 2008