Top 25 healthiest states in America 2012

A new report shows it's not only what you put into your body that affects your health -- it's where you live.

For its 22nd annual America's Health Rankings, United Health Foundation reviewed census data, disease rates and other measures to determine which states were healthiest.

"What worries us in particular about this year's report is that some key risk factors that are driving up preventable chronic illness are getting worse," Dr. Reed Tuckson, chief of medical affairs for United Health Group told CBSNews.com.

The survey looked at health-affecting factors including obesity prevalence, diabetes rates, percentage of residents who smoke, child poverty rates and risk for dying from heart disease and cancer.

Is your state one of the 25 healthiest in the country? Keep clicking to find out...

25. Arizona

Does the warm desert air stave off disease? Arizona ranks the second- and third-lowest in heart-related and cancer-related deaths in the country.

Some weaknesses the report found affected children. Arizona has a low high school graduation rate of 72.5 percent of incoming ninth graders (41st). Also Arizona has a high rate of children under 18 in poverty (43rd).

Last year: 27

24. Kansas

Not many residents in Kansas take sick days, ranking ninth for both mental health and physical health days. According to the rankings, the occupational fatalities rate in Kansas - 6.1 deaths per 100,000 workers - is too high, ranking 39th in the United States.

Last year: 25

23. Wyoming

Violent crime rates are low in Wyoming (4th) and the state has the lowest reported levels of air pollution in the United States.

Wyoming, however, has the worst immunization coverage in the country and could reduce its high smoking rate (36th).

Last year: 21

22. California

California residents are active, according to the rankings, and it might be paying off: They are the third-least sedentary citizens in the county with the fifth-lowest obesity rate.

The report suggests they could be healthier if the state's environment improved: California ranked worst in the country for air pollution levels. And while smoking rates are among the lowest in terms of population percentage (2nd), 3.9 million Californians still smoke.

Last year: 22

21. Virginia

Climbing two ranks from last year's report is Virginia, a state that has low rates of violent crime (6th) and children in poverty (11th).

The state reports a high prevalence of obesity (35th) and high prevalence of diabetes (40th).

Last year: 23

20. Iowa

Dropping four spots on this year's rankings is Iowa. Iowa scored high marks for its high graduation rate for high schoolers - 5th best in the country - and low percentage of children in poverty (6th). Residents also reported among the fewest mental health (3rd) and physical sick days (2nd) in the country.

But the state ranked 48th in binge drinking and had a small number of primary care doctors compared to the rest of the country (46th).

Last year: 16

19. Maryland

Ranking second in the country in access to primary care doctors and 11th in its percentage of non-smokers, Maryland has also seen a significant reduction in heart disease deaths over the past 10 years.

The state's high violent crime rate (43rd) and high air pollution (40th) are reasons for concern, according to the rankings.

Last year: 24

18. New York

Obesity rates are low in New York (7th) and the state spends on public health (6th). Smoking rates are also low (8th) for the state with the highest cigarette taxes in the country.

The report showed New York should improve its low high school graduation rate (39th) and do more to curb its high diabetes prevalence (40th).

Last year: 20

17. Idaho

Falling to spots to 17th is Idaho, a state with active citizens (7th) who for the most part say no to smoking (6th). Citizens also stay out of the hospital, ranking fourth for its low preventable hospitalizations rate.

Idaho also has the least access to primary care physicians in the country, perhaps a reason why its childhood vaccination rate is so low (43rd)

Last year: 15th

16. Wisconsin

Wisconsin's high school graduation rate is best in the country, and the state also scores high marks for insuring its residents (6th) and its low diabetes prevalence (11th).

Areas for improvement include changing its lowest rated state status for binge drinkers, and increasing public health funding dollars, which also ranked lowest in the United States.

Last year: 12

15. Nebraska

Nebraska moved up three spots in this year's rankings despite ranking 46th in binge drinking.

Residents called in sick infrequently -- ranking fifth for mental health sick days and sixth for physical health - and the state had the highest childhood immunization rate in the country, with 94.2 percent of all infants 19 to 35 months vaccinated.

Last year: 18

14. Washington

Preventable hospitalization rates in Washington are low (5th) and a low percentage of state residents smoke (7 percent).

However, state challenges include its low immunization rates (39th) -- which may have played a role in a recent whooping cough outbreak - and low high school graduation rates (37th).

Last year: 9

13. Oregon

Oregon fell five spots this year despite having the fourth best rate of active adults in the country. Areas needing improvement include its 47th ranked immunization coverage and high rate of uninsured residents (32nd).

Last year: 8

12. North Dakota

Second in the country for its low air pollution levels, North Dakota residents also are unlikely to take sick days for physical health (4th) or mental health (1st).

The state ranks 49th for its high percentage of binge drinkers and 45th for its high rates of occupational fatalities per 100,000 workers.

Last year: 11

11. Colorado

Colorado has the lowest obesity rate at the country, affecting "only" 20.7 percent of its citizens. The state also has the lowest diabetes and heart attack rates in the country, and more than 80 percent of residents are active.

The state has a high level of binge drinking (37th) and one of the worst childhood immunization rates in the country (45th)

Last year: 14th

10. Rhode Island

In Rhode Island, 82 percent of adult residents have gotten their cholesterol checked in the last 5 years, which tied Massachusetts for highest in the country. Immunization rates are also second-highest in the U.S. and the state reports the third highest rate of primary care doctors per population.

Rhode Island's high prevalence of binge drinking (35th) and high rate of preventable hospitalizations (36th) are areas for improvement.

Last year: 13

9. Maine

Climbing one spot higher on the top 10 is Maine, boasting the lowest violent crime rate in the country. The state could improve its standing by lowering its smoking (33rd) and obesity rankings (25th), and by reducing its high cancer death rate (40th).

Last year: 10

8. New Jersey

The Garden State made a major jump from last year's healthy rankings, climbing nine spots. State strengths include low rates for smoking (3rd) and obesity (fourth), and a high rate of graduating New Jersey high schoolers (6th).

New Jersey could improve its 30th ranking for sedentary lifestyle, and reduce its high rate of preventable hospitalizations (33rd) and get more residents insured (33rd).

Last year: 17

7. Utah

With the lowest smoking rate in the country, third-lowest binge drinking rate and sixth-lowest obesity rate, Utah's residents are keeping an eye on what they're putting in their body. That may also be reflected in the state reporting the lowest rate of diabetes and cancer deaths in the nation.

The state scored low marks for having too few primary care doctors (45th) and higher than average infectious disease rate (39th).

Last year: 5

6. Connecticut

Connecticut is among the healthiest states for its low smoking rates (5th), lack of obese citizens (7th) and high vaccine coverage (2nd).

But the state, which dropped two spots from last year's ranking, could improve its moderate high school graduation rates (28th) and reduce its levels of air pollution (23rd) if it wants to move higher on next year's report.

Last year: 4

5. Minnesota

In Minnesota you are less likely to die an early death than anywhere in the U.S., according to the rankings. The state also reported the fewest heart disease deaths and scored high marks for its third-lowest diabetes prevalence.

Minnesota did report the highest infectious disease rate in the country, and could aim to reduce the number of binge drinkers (44th).

Last year: 6

4. Massachusetts

With the third lowest obesity rate in the country - 22.7 percent of its adults - and a large number of primary care doctors, Massachusetts residents appear to have health on their minds.

The state's high prevalence of binge drinking (40th) and high rates of preventable hospitalizations (38th) are challenges for next year's rankings, says United Health.

Last year: 7

3. New Hampshire

Falling one spot from last year's rankings is New Hampshire, with one of the lowest violent crime rates in the country (3rd). The state also has the lowest percentage of children under 18 living in poverty.

Areas needing improvement include increasing public health funding, where it ranks 36th in the country, and improving mental health, where Vermont ranks 34th in the United States.

Last year: 2

2. Hawaii

Moving up one spot on 2012's rankings is Hawaii, which has ranked among the top six states for every America's Health Rankings. Hawaiians are among the most fit in the country, with the second lowest obesity prevalence, and sixth lowest sedentary population. They also are scored high for having many nonsmokers (3rd) and report the fewest number of preventable hospitalizations in the country.

But Hawaii's binge drinking rates are among the worst in the country (43rd) and low birth weight (30th), which studies suggest can to increase risk for health and behavioral problems in children, can also be improved.

Last year: 3

1. Vermont

For the sixth year in a row, Vermont tops the healthiest state rankings. The feat is impressive considering the state ranked 17th as recently as 1998.

What makes Vermont so healthy? According to the report, it has the lowest infectious disease rate in the country and also earns high marks for its low rates of smoking, physical inactivity, diabetes, premature death risk and also ranks in the Top 10 states for its high graduation rate and low violent crime rate.

Last year: 1