NJ ranks midpack in health survey

Thats according to a survey by insurer data service Policygenius, which surveyed 3-year-old U.S. males with 20-year life policies of $500,000 or more. States were ranked based on data about policyholders smoking habits, and the rates of diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol rates.

Nearby New York ranked seventh, while Montana, Wyoming and Utah were the three healthiest states, and North Dakota, Alabama and South Carolina were found to be the least healthy.

The study placed New Jersey in the bottom quarter of two categories: cholesterol levels and diabetes.

The state ranks th in people with a history of high cholesterol with a 14.1 percent rate, while the national average is 11. percent. And it ranks 13th in diabetes with a 2.5 percent rate, compared to a national average of 2.3 percent.

The state ranked 30th for blood pressure, with 13.7 percent of people having a history of high blood pressure, compared to a 14.6 percent national average.

The Garden State did well in certain categories. For instance, 16.7% of those surveyed in the state regularly use tobacco the seventh lowest rate among all states compared to the national average of 20.5 percent. New Jersey also has the sixth lowest rate of depression, with 4.3 percent of respondents having a history of depression, compared with a national average of 6.3 percent.

Policygenius noted smoking cigarettes or other tobacco products increases the cost of life insurance per month to $112.23 from an average of $25.37 for an average healthy person, making it the costliest factor affecting life premiums. Diabetes is second costliest -- with an average monthly cost of $7.69 -- and sleep apnea is third with an average monthly cost of $73.65.

The full report can be found here. Copyright 201 BridgeTower Media. All Rights Reserved.

CREDIT: Vince Calio