America seems to be getting fatter and more unhealthy by the day, but some cities are making a significant effort to curb obesity trends by creating policies and spaces that encourage good health and fitness. The ACSM releases a annual report that ranks the most health conscious cities in the United States. We're going to go through the top five rankings and discuss what makes these cities so special when it comes to health and fitness.
1. Minneapolis/St. Paul - Most people probably think the warm southwest or Florida would outrank a Midwest city when it comes to health and fitness, but they'd be wrong. A drop in the number of people who smoke, new rules about smoking in public places, and improvements in the health status of residents were responsible for bringing this metro area to the top spot.
2. Washington/Arlington - Second place Washington, D.C. gets high marks for a higher than normal number of swimming pools, tennis courts, and recreation centers. Residents of the nation’s capital also do their part by eating 5+ servings of fruits and vegetables a day, made easier by the presence of numerous farmers’ markets. Capital residents are less likely to be obese and more likely to bike or walk to work or take public transportation to work, plus there are fewer people lighting up.
3. Boston/Cambridge - This New England metro area has low smoking rates, lots of farmer's markets and a high percentage of people with health insurance.
4. San Francisco/Oakland
5. Hartford
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