Fittest Cities, From Denver to Los Angeles
From Denver to Los Angeles, The Daily Beast finds the cities with the leanest and most active residents.
On Sunday, more than 45,000 spandex-clad, bib-wearing athletes will take to the streets of New York City to paticipate in the world’s largest marathon. A feat of fitness and endurance, the marathon is one of the most revered events in mainstream competitive sports today. Last year, some half a million runners crossed a marathon finish line.
But where are all these super-athletes living? To rank the fitness level of American cities, we turned to two of the most trusted sources on the topic. The American College of Sports Medicine’s American Fitness Index is produced annually with the WellPoint Foundation to scientifically assess the health, fitness, and quality of life of metro areas across the country. From its research, we included the percentage of residents who were physically active in the last month, the percentage who are considered to be in very good or excellent health, and the percentage who are categorized as obese. In addition, we considered where each city ranked on the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which analyzes the health of the American population in the categories of physical well-being and healthy behavior.
Each of the five factors was weighted equally.
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 83.3%
Obese: 18.8%
In excellent or very good health: 61.7%
Gallup physical well-being index rank (out of 188): 20
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank (out of 188): 40
Ed Andrieski / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 82.6%
Obese: 18.1%
In excellent or very good health: 59.5%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 33
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 14
Getty Images
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 81.6%
Obese: 21.4%
In excellent or very good health: 64.1%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 12
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 37
Paul J. Richards, AFP / Getty Images
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 85.9%
Obese: 23.8%
In excellent or very good health: 66.6%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 16
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 50
Jim Mone / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 80.2%
Obese: 21.1%
In excellent or very good health: 62%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 41
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 39
Corbis
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 81.5%
Obese: 20.8%
In excellent or very good health: 58.3%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 8
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 15
Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 79.3%
Obese: 21.6%
In excellent or very good health: 62.6%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 45
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 42
Jessica Hill / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 83.2%
Obese: 24%
In excellent or very good health: 62.1%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 94
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 55
Randy L. Rasmussen, The Oregonian / Landov
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 79.9%
Obese: 21.6%
In excellent or very good health: 58.4%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 19
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 17
Lenny Ignelzi / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 81.8%
Obese: 23.9%
In excellent or very good health: 57.6%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 76
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 32
Elaine Thompson / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 81.8%
Obese: 26.6%
In excellent or very good health: 59%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 13
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 46
Erich Schlegel / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 80.9%
Obese: 24.3%
In excellent or very good health: 60.2%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 53
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 95
Elise Amendola / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 81.5%
Obese: 25.9%
In excellent or very good health: 59.4%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 70
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 34
Rich Pedroncelli / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 81%
Obese: 24.1%
In excellent or very good health: 58.7%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 57
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 103
Gary C. Knapp
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 82.6%
Obese: 24.7%
In excellent or very good health: 55.8%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 47
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 72
Ross D. Franklin / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 79.4%
Obese: 23.8%
In excellent or very good health: 55.6%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 77
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 41
Lynne Sladky / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 79.3%
Obese: 24.3%
In excellent or very good health: 58.9%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 91
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 117
Morry Gash / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 77.8%
Obese: 23.6%
In excellent or very good health: 48.8%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 40
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 22
Reed Saxon / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 75.7%
Obese: 24.8%
In excellent or very good health: 59.2%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 80
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 78
Stephan Savoia / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 77.8%
Obese: 25.1%
In excellent or very good health: 57%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 26
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 112
Richard Patterson, ING / PRNewsFoto
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 79%
Obese: 28.9%
In excellent or very good health: 61.6%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 38
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 133
Zach Gibson / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 75%
Obese: 25.2%
In excellent or very good health: 59.6%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 95
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 100
Toby Jorrin / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 78.6%
Obese: 26.4%
In excellent or very good health: 54.1%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 27
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 81
Gerry Broome / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 72.9%
Obese: 21.3%
In excellent or very good health: 54.1%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 48
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 59
Richard Drew / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 76%
Obese: 24.7%
In excellent or very good health: 56.6%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 114
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 79
Luis M. Alvarez / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 77.6%
Obese: 24.6%
In excellent or very good health: 54.6%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 55
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 142
LM Otero / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 77.8%
Obese: 26.3%
In excellent or very good health: 53.6%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 44
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 85
Chuck Burton
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 77.3%
Obese: 26.9%
In excellent or very good health: 59.3%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 62
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 156
Cliff Schiappa / AP Photo
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 75.7%
Obese: 28.3%
In excellent or very good health: 59.8%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 43
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 155
James A. Finley / AP Phot
Percentage of residents who performed physical activity in the last 30 days: 77%
Obese: 26.7%
In excellent or very good health: 55.6%
Gallup physical well-being index rank: 34
Gallup healthy-behavior index rank: 140
Joseph Oliver / AP Photo
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