Mya Nelson
Washington, DC, now ranks as America’s fittest metropolitan area, with Minneapolis and Portland, Oregon, not far behind, according to a new survey. The American Fitness Index survey takes into account several factors related to cancer prevention, such as being active, obesity and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables.
AICR estimates that if everyone were to be active, stay lean, and eat healthy, Americans could prevent about one-third of the most common cancers.
You can read the full report and see how your city ranks at American Fitness Index.
The survey, by the American College of Sports Medicine, looks at measures of personal health and community/environmental health. Personal health indicators included the percent of the population that smokes, is obese, meets government activity guidelines, and eats three or more vegetables a day.
Community health indicators include the percent of people who bike to work and walk, as well as the amount of parks and recreational centers the city has. The survey also used data on how much money the region spends on park expense per resident, and its physical activity requirements for schools.
The cities that ranked lowest in overall fitness include Memphis, Louisville and Oklahoma City.
This is the seventh annual American Fitness Index report. Last year’s fittest city was Minneapolis, but this survey used different methods and new measures from previous reports so they cannot be evenly compared.
