How Fit is Your City? ACSM Ranks Washington, D.C. as #1 Healthiest City in America
15 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment
in ACSM, Exercise, Wellness/Health Tags: Healthiest Cities in the US, Western US
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recently published their 2010 list of the fittest major cities in the United States. The full list ranks 50 major metropolitan areas in America – where does your city fit in with fitness?
The ACSM has listed the following cities as the top ten healthiest in the United States: Washington D.C., Boston, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Seattle, Portland (Oregon), Denver, Sacramento, San Francisco, Hartford, and Austin.
I found this list to be rather surprising. One would think that the healthiest cities would be those that mirror the lowest obesity rates in the country, meaning that Colorado and states on the West Coast would make up the entire list. While Western cities did account for 70% of the top 10 list, there were three East Coast cities (#1 Washington D.C., #2 Boston, and #9 Hartford, Connecticut ) that made it into the top ten.
According to the press release from ACSM, ”characteristics of the D.C. area that helped it achieve the top ranking are a relatively low smoking rate, a higher-than-average percentage of folks eating the recommended daily serving of fruits and vegetables, and lower-than-average rates of chronic health concerns such as obesity, asthma, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.”
The press release also goes on to say that “D.C.-area residents also use public transportation regularly, meaning they are likely to walk to and from their places of work or transit stations. Also, the area of parkland as a percentage of the city’s land area is significant, providing residents with lots of space to run, bike, play sports or take a leisurely walk.”
ACSM ranks metropolitan areas based on their AFI – or American Fit Index – which takes into consideration access to healthcare, health insurance coverage, education, parks and recreation systems and programs, prevalence of chronic disease (such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes), public policy dedicated to healthcare and prevention, and economic situations.
Not surprisingly, the three largest cities in the U.S. did not place so well on the list, falling in the middle: #21 New York City, #33 Chicago, and #38 Los Angeles. Since there were many factors regarding economic conditions – such as health insurance and access to healthcare – it is no wonder that these larger cities, with higher unemployment rates, could result in lower numbers on the fitness index.
The lowest cities ranked on the list were New Orleans, Houston, San Antonio, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Louisville, Detroit, Memphis, and Birmingham, with Oklahoma City ranking last. These cities have traditionally higher rates of obesity and high unemployment rates in the recent economic climate.
Regardless of where you live, you can make the most out of your health and fitness goals by following the tips below. While it may be inspiring to those of you residing in one of the top ten fittest places in America, do not be discouraged if your city ranks at the bottom of the list. Here are some tips for staying healthy despite your living conditions.
1. Take advantage of annual medical physicals and preventative healthcare. If you are insured, make sure to visit your doctor annually and follow through with any preventative measures he or she may suggest for your age group
2. Use your environment to your advantage. Bike along forest trails, climb mountains, stroll along the beach, run along the city streets, kayak in the river, or walk your dog at the park. Utilize whatever you can in your environment to get and stay active – whether you live in a bustling city, a small rural town, a mountain village, or down by the beach.
3. Eat a healthy and nutritionally-balanced diet. You are what you eat, and you have the power to control what you consume. Your diet and body weight play a major role in the onset of chronic disease such as – but not limited to – cancer, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension.
My name is Christine and I am passionate about nutrition, exercise and wellness! Read more about me in the "About" section of this blog and check out my other pages!
