Maybe because Americans are such a competitive people, we rank everything - sports teams, colleges, box-office grosses, mutual funds, academic standing. Even preschoolers know the phrases "top-rated" and "bottom- ranked." The Trust for America's Health has a good example: The annual ranking of states in order of obesity.

By now you've no doubt heard that the leanest state was Colorado, followed by Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut and Hawaii.

Everyone knows it is important to stay in shape, yet fewer and fewer people seem to be doing it. And that is true even here in Colorado, whose citizens have likewise been loosening their collective belts. If we're going to congratulate ourselves for our ranking, we certainly shouldn't get carried away.