For those of you who may use the weather as an excuse for not exercising, look no further than the citizens of Minneapolis, Minnesota. That’s because they have been voted the healthiest city in the U.S. by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
Each year, the ACSM rates the top 50 healthiest metropolitan areas in the country. They attributed Minneapolis’ jump to the top of the list to the increase in size and a decrease in smoking rates. Also factored into the equation was relatively low rates of obesity, heart disease, and asthma.
Additional factors were treated to the increase in healthfulness of the citizens of Minneapolis: an uptick in farmers markets and an above average percentage of park land. I think that would help explain why Portland, Oregon and Denver, Colorado both made the top five, as they are known for their love of outdoor living and activities. Washington D.C. and Boston, Massachusetts were number two and number three, respectively.
“The scores and rankings from the report indicate which metro areas are more fit, and which ones are less fit,” Walter Thompson, chair of the AFI advisory board, said in an ACSM news release. “Although Minneapolis ranked first, there is room for improvement. At the same time, even the lowest-ranked areas have healthy residents and community resources supporting health and fitness.”
At the bottom of the list were Memphis, Tennessee, Louisville, Kentucky, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
While experts knowledge there are no quick fixes to making our citizens healthier, they pointed out the significance of the need for city officials to address the infrastructure needs of their metro areas.
“A regular, scientific evaluation of the infrastructure, community assets, policies and opportunities which encourage healthy and fit lifestyles is imperative for cities wishing to provide a high quality of life for residents,” Thompson said. “Community health leaders and advocates in each metro area can use the AFI data report to easily identify their strengths and areas of opportunity.”
(via: U.S. News & World Report)