PORTLAND (AP) – Maine has improved to No. 7 among the nation’s healthiest states, a list in which all of northern New England finished in the top tier.

The United Health Foundation’s 18th annual edition of America’s Health Rankings gave the top spot to Vermont, which knocked Minnesota down to second place. Hawaii was third, followed by New Hampshire and Connecticut.

Mississippi ranked as the least healthy state.

Maine, which moved up from ninth last year, was cited for its low violent crime rate, its low rate of cardiovascular deaths and its low percentage of residents who lack health insurance.

The state’s challenges were identified as a high rate of cancer deaths, many poor physical health days and low rate of immunization coverage among children.

Changes over the past year included a 10 percent drop in the rate of the uninsured, bringing it down to 9.3 percent. The percentage of children in poverty also dropped during the period, from 15.8 percent to 13.2 percent.

The survey also noted that prevalence of smoking tumbled from 30.3 percent in 1990 to 20.9 percent this year.

Even though the percentage of Maine’s obese population nearly doubled from 12.2 percent in 1990 to 23.1 percent in 2007, the state’s ranking in that category improved from 31st to 14th.

The United Health Foundation study found that the nation’s overall health declined over the past year.

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