The American College of Sports Medicine and the Anthem Foundation has published its ninth annual American Fitness Index, which evaluates 50 of the largest metropolitan areas on personal, community and environmental indicators of health. For the third consecutive year, Washington, D.C., topped the list.
Across the nation, there were some notable positive shifts in a few measures between 2015 and 2016. For instance, the overall health scores improved in 60 percent of the cities studied, the share of Americans who indicate they exercise increased 11.8 percent, the number of states with policies that require physical education be taught in schools doubled and total park expenditure per resident grew 5.2 percent. Also, there was a 4.7 percent drop in the percentage of Americans who smoked and a 7.4 percent drop in the overall diabetes death rate.
As for metro area breakdown, the top 10 fittest cities are:
1. Washington, D.C.
2. Minneapolis
3. Denver
4. Portland, Ore.
5. San Francisco
6. Seattle
7. Boston
8. Salt Lake City
9. Hartford, Conn.
10. San Diego
The 10 least fit cities evaluated are:
1. Indianapolis
2. Oklahoma City, Okla.
3. Louisville, Ky.
4. Memphis, Tenn.
5. Nashville, Tenn.
6. San Antonio
7. Birmingham, Ala.
8. Orlando, Fla.
9. Detroit
10. Las Vegas
To learn more about the full methodology, click here.
More articles on health and wellness:
Exercise linked with decreased risk for 13 types of cancer in new study
5 things to know about America's unhealthy behaviors
USDA food consumption report reveals 4 trends in American diet and health