Texas is Numero Uno!

Texans can take pride in the fact their state leads the nation in several very important categories.

While Louisiana is the nation’s leader in crawfish consumption per capita, and Alabama leads the 50-state pack in the per capita consumption of Moon Pies and fried Twinkies, Texas ranks at the top in the number of its residents who are uninsured.

Can’t you see Texas feeling their breasts as they swell with pride?

Texas also ranks first in the nation in number of areas with a short of mental health professionals (the state accounts for almost 10 percent of the total of the entire nation!), and is second from the top (or bottom, depending on whether you are an optimist or a pessimist) in the areas of “nursing shortage,” not enough primary health physicians, and not enough dentists to serve the populous.

Texas also ranks second in the total number of tuberculosis cases and third in alzheimer’s cases, but dropped to fourth in the number of cases of AIDS and cancer.

The state managed to stay in the Top 10 in the number of reported cases of syphilis (No. 10), but only managed 21^st place in the chlamydia category.

Texas held strong in the “poverty” grouping, ranking fourth overall with 16.4 percent of residents’ making income below the national poverty limit, a whopping 30-plus percent over the national average.

With Mississippi and Arkansas placing Nos. 1 and 2 in the overall obesity rate race, Texas could manage only a paltry 14^th place. And the state’s progress in this category in the future is in doubt: Texas fat kids are only ranked 20^th in the nation.

But, there’s hope. The state showed its game plan to climb up in that ranking by placing No. 8 in the “adult physical inactivity” category.

There’s reason to question the state’s obesity rankings. Texas is second in the nation in tons of lard consumed per capita, trailing only California.

Assuredly, Texans must do better.

Trailing Arkansas and Mississippi in any category with national rankings is simply not acceptable.