OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A state-by-state ranking of America's health puts Oklahoma 43rd in the nation in the wellness of its citizens.
Doctor Terry Cline says that's good news for a state that was ranked 49th when he took over as state health commissioner in 2009.
The bad news, Cline says, is that Oklahoma is still in the bottom 10 in health rankings nationwide, pulled down by high rates of smoking, obesity and sedentary lifestyles that result in thousands of premature deaths every year.
Cline is spearheading the Oklahoma Health Improvement Plan, a blueprint for improving health that encourages Oklahomans to eat better, move more and become tobacco free.
Cline says he is alarmed that the state remains in the bottom 10 in the nation's health rankings and wants to move it higher.