Missouri’s penchant for sitting and smoking makes it the 42nd healthiest state in the nation

• Flickr: eflon
• The state chair of Missouri.

Missouri keeps beefing up. The 2012 United Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings are out, and Missouri has managed to eat its way two spots farther down the list to be the 42nd healthiest state in the nation. (Kansas is sitting at a svelte 24th by comparison.)

The key culprits, according to the annual UHF study, are the high smoking and obesity rates, as well as Missourians’ proclivity for leading a sedentary lifestyle and failure to immunize children. If you’re looking for some positive numbers, Missouri ranks 23rd in incidents of low birth weight and has the ninth highest high school graduate rate.

Should Missouri ever reach the coveted spot of least healthy state in the nation, at least it will have victory cigarettes at the ready. Missourians will no doubt light them up to celebrate, assuming they’re in reach of the Barcalounger.