Why Utahns Are More Healthy Than Other States

Utah was recently recognized for being a great place to start a business but that’s not the only win it has had this year.

The beehive state came in 6th overall in America’s Health Report 2024 for a variety of factors that can impact health. This was up from the 2023 report and indicated that the state has healthier adults overall.

One factor that doesn’t come as a surprise is the large LDS population. The restrictions set in place not to partake in alcohol or smoking play a big part in why Utah is a healthier place. The e-cigarette use in Utah is only 6.7% of the population which is way less when compared to the U.S. at 77%.

Why Is Utah So Healthy?

Utah is a place where hiking, biking, running, kayaking, and camping are all super popular. This may have to do with the many state and national parks around. When it came to physical activity in 2024, 33.1% of adults exercised bringing Utah to 5th overall in that area. Utah’s percentage of adults who were in the physical inactivity was 16.2% compared to the U.S. at 24.2%.

Read More Here: Highest Rated BBQ In So. Utah

Basically, Utah is solid when it comes to staying active which plays a role in being healthy.

Excessive drinking in adults was also lower than the U.S. Utah’s percent of adults who participated in excessive drinking was 12.5% while the U.S. is at 16.7%.

Utah’s drug deaths also went down in 2024 from 23.5 deaths per 100,000 to 18.5 which is definitely an improvement.

Teen birth numbers lowered from 28.0 to 9.0 births per 100,000 people from 2010 to 2022, the report said.

What Health Areas Is Utah Struggling In?

Unfortunately, there are still some areas where Utah needs to improve when it comes to health. One of the most talked about areas is mental health.

Get our free mobile app

Utah adults and even children have taken a hit when it comes to checking on their mental wellbeing. From 2013 to 2023, Utah adult’s mental distress went up from 10.5% to 16.2%.

Another issue cited by the report was a spike in obesity. Despite Utahns love of physical activity, obesity rates have gone up in adults. 30.2% of Utah adults are overweight compared to 24.4% from 2011 to 2023.

'Make America Healthy Again' White House Fact Sheet

As of February 2025, The Trump Administration has ordered the Federal Government to aggressively combat the critical health challenges facing U.S. citizens, including the rising rates of mental health disorders, obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.

💗🤍💙

"American life expectancy significantly lags behind other developed countries, with pre‑COVID-19 United States life expectancy averaging 78.8 years and comparable countries averaging 82.6 years."

"This equates to 1.25 billion fewer life years for the United States population. Six in 10 Americans have at least one chronic disease, and four in 10 have two or more chronic diseases."

" An estimated one in five United States adults lives with a mental illness" noted the Administration in a White House press release.

Gallery Credit: Kolby Fedore, TSM