The American College of Sports Medicine ranks Boston as the 10th fittest city in the United States – a major improvement from its 19th place the previous year.
In the overall rankings, Arlington, VA, has been the highest-placed city for the past three years. It is followed by Seattle (2nd), Minneapolis (3rd), Madison, Wisconsin (4th), San Francisco (5th), Washington D.C. (6th), Irvine (7th), Denver (8th), and Boise (9th). Last in the list are North Las Vegas, Bakersfield, California, and Oklahoma City.
In 2019, Boston took 19th place overall, with 44th in personal health and 7th in community/environment. Its ratings for walking, cycling, public transit, and park access were slightly lower.
Annually, an analysis of 100 of the biggest cities in the United States from New York City to Chula Vista to Milwaukee is made possible with 33 indicators. Eighteen factors, such as the number of people participating in physical activities, environmental conditions, and pedestrian casualties, are taken into consideration when determining individual health and…
The research concluded that cities with the highest ratings possess robust local health and wellness.
In a statement, Barbara Ainsworth, the head of state for the ACSM, declared the aim of the report to be spurring city plans that would enable an improved standard of living.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is an organization that works to advance and integrate scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine.
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, Boston has been named the 10th fittest city in the US, a significant improvement from 2019 when it was placed 19th. The ACSM Physical Fitness Index 2020 report ranked Boston in the top quartile for both personal health (25th out of 100) and environment/community (14th out of 100). The city also had the highest percentage of people who walked/cycled to work and was 3rd in terms of those using public transport. Additionally, Boston and San Francisco both scored the highest in terms of access to public parks within 10 minutes of walking.
Boise (9th), Denver (8th), Irvine (7th), Washington DC (6th), San Francisco (5th), Madison, Wisconsin (4th), Minneapolis (3rd), Seattle (2nd), and Arlington, Virginia (1st) all ranked higher than Boston. Oklahoma City, Bakersfield, California, and North Las Vegas were at the bottom of the list.
In comparison to last year, Boston’s overall rank improved, but its health ranking went down from 44th to 25th. Its community/environment ranking also went down slightly, and there were decreased ratings for walking, cycling, public transport, and park access.
The ACSM report assesses the health and fitness of 100 of the largest cities in the US, like New York City and Milwaukee, using 33 indicators. The individual health rankings are based on 18 factors such as the frequency of exercise, conditions, and pedestrian accidents. The environmental ratings are determined by factors like bikeability, air quality, and the presence of public parks, pools, and farmers’ markets.
The report aims to encourage city policies that promote healthier living, according to ACSM President Barbara Ainsworth. She said that the American Fitness Index “highlights a community’s personal health, leisure, and non-motorized transport opportunities to inform advocates and city planners of ways to enhance the health and wellbeing of its citizens and visitors.”
