Parents know it takes more than just doctor visits to keep children healthy.
Kids need nutritious food, exercise and flouridated water. And their parents need the money to pay for access to all that.
To determine the best and worst states for children’s health care, WalletHub compared the 50 states and District of Columbia across three key dimensions: kids’ health and access to health care; kids’ nutrition, physical activity and obesity; and kids’ oral health.
The financial website then evaluated these categories using 33 relevant metrics, each graded on a 100 point scale, with 100 representing the best health care for children.
When the numbers were tallied, Georgia finished No. 31, with an overall score of 50.92. The bright spot on the Peach State’s ranking was finishing No. 11 for kids’ oral health. In the other two dimensions, we ranked No. 32 for kids’ health and access to health care, and No. 29 for kids’ nutrition, physical activity and obesity.
“It is not always the first thing we think of, but high-quality education and stable housing are incredibly important for the health of an entire population,” Mac McCullough, Ph.D., MPH, associate professor and director of Public Health Agency Partnerships at Boise State University, told WalletHub. “This is not to say that doctors are not important, but research shows that, across the population, most of our overall health outcomes are driven by factors beyond just hospitals and doctor visits.
“Some of the most important components include our environment, our behaviors, and social and environmental factors. There is a sort of health dividend that we enjoy when we receive an education or live in a safe house and neighborhood.”
“The most important steps a parent can take to help their children grow up healthy is just that: take steps,” Ann Marie Marciarille, J.D., professor of law at the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Law, told WalletHub. “Teach your children, by example, that walking and biking are the preferred methods of locomotion. Be active.”
Not every child has access to sidewalks for strolling or bike riding, however.
If you’re looking to live in a state that’s better for your children’s health, you’ll need to move north.
Massachusetts came out on top with an overall score of 66.26, followed by the District of Columbia with 65.45. They were followed by Rhode Island, Vermont and Hawaii, in that order.
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