The annual study by the American College of Sports Medicine has announced the results of the 2021 American Fitness Index, with Washington, D.C. making the top 10 list out of the 100 largest cities surveyed.
In the index, 34 health habits, chronic illnesses, and indications of local facilities are all taken into consideration, such as the rate of smoking, the percentage of people walking or cycling to work, the consumption of fruits and vegetables, and the amount of sleep.
Washington, D.C. is rated sixth overall for fitness, with a thirteenth-place ranking in personal well-being and fourth in community wellness, according to the index.
A total of 34 elements were accounted for in the evaluation, 17 of which were allocated to the personal health and wellness of the district, and the rest to the community health and wellness of the city.
In the rating, personal health behaviors such as the portion of individuals who smoke, walk, or cycle to work, and those with obesity and high blood pressure were taken into account. Community health elements taken into consideration were the air quality index, walk and bike scores in Washington, D.C., as well as the quantity of recreational facilities.
For the 3rd consecutive year, Arlington, Virginia has achieved the title of “America’s fittest city” after being rated number one overall, according to a statement from the American College of Sports Medicine.
The study conducted in Arlington discovered that a mere 3.5 percent of homeowners were smokers, 4.2 percent had diabetes and 24.1 percent were in bad physical health.
Arlington earned a spot among the top ten for 19 of the 33 indicators in the index, boasting the most favorable rate of adults with obesity and the highest rate of residents meeting aerobic and strength activity requirements.
Data was collected from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other sources and analyzed by the authors. For more information regarding the procedure, please refer to Page 20 of the document.
In terms of overall fitness, Seattle, Minneapolis, Madison (Wisconsin), and San Francisco were the next four cities to rank after Arlington.
Ranked last overall was Oklahoma City at No. 100, with Bakersfield, California; North Las Vegas, Nevada; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Memphis, Tennessee following in ascending order.
The analysis focused on the one hundred largest cities in the United States.
