Utah Drinks Less Than Everyone Else. Is That Why We Keep Winning These Rankings?

Utah has just been ranked the state with the lowest rate of binge drinking in America, according to a new report from Valley Spring Recovery Center.

Naturally, that raises a question: Is there a connection between drinking less and some of the other rankings Utah seems to collect like souvenir postcards?

Utah Keeps Showing Up On "Good" Lists

Utah has also landed consecutively at the top of a list for financial stability, Over the years, Utah has landed near the top of rankings for life expectancy, volunteerism, and overall well-being.

Coincidence? Maybe.

Or maybe they are related, maybe we should look into alcohol consumption and see if binge drinking has an effect on some of the other life benefits that Utah seems to thrive at.

Correlation Isn't Causation... But Still

Researchers would be the first to point out that correlation does not equal causation and I am sure there is more to the formula than just alcohol consumption,

Utah's unique culture, faith communities, family-centered lifestyles, outdoor opportunities, and demographics all likely play a role in the state's various successful rankings.

Still, it's hard not to notice the pattern.

A Very Utah Mystery

So does drinking less help Utah enjoy some of those benefits?

Who knows.

But when a state ranks first for a lot of positive things and last for binge drinking, people are going to connect some dots, whether the experts are ready to or not.

At the very least, Utah has given the rest of the country something to think about between rounds.