Kentucky Tops Smoking List, Is Low in Exercise

Kentucky has the highest proportion of smokers and Utah lights up the least, while New Yorkers are the most sedentary and Montanans the most active, a government health survey said today.

The Centers for Disease Control study lists the proportion of exercisers, alcohol drinkers, smokers and seat-belt users in 32 states during 1987 in a survey aimed at helping governments better combat disease.

Lack of funding prevented a study of all 50 states, the CDC said.

The prevalence of three risk factors related to cardiovascular disease--excess weight, smoking and sedentary life style--varied widely by state, the CDC said.

In Kentucky, nearly one-third of the population, 32.3%, still smokes, contrasted with 15% in Utah, the study said. West Virginia was next with 28.8% still smoking, followed closely by Indiana with 28.7%. The smallest percentage of smokers next to Utah was found in Idaho, with 20.5%.

The government wants to cut the smoking rate to 25% nationwide by 1990.

The study said 73.5% of New Yorkers qualified as sedentary--participating in leisure time physical activity fewer than 20 minutes, three times a week. Nebraskans were next with a 69.9% sedentary rate, followed by Kentuckians, at 69.6%, according to the study.