San Francisco Bay Area Tops List of America's Fittest Cities
San Francisco Bay Area beat Seattle metro area as the fittest of America's most populous cities, according to a new report from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) in partnership with the WellPoint Foundation.
The ACSM American Fitness Index inaugural data report, "Health and Community Fitness Status of 16 Large Metropolitan Areas," is a snapshot of the state of health and fitness in America's 15 most populous metropolitan areas.
The AFI data report breaks down several data components related to health and fitness, including a unique evaluation of community-level data, and offers strengths and weaknesses of each city. In addition to a data report, the AFI is a program designed to improve health, fitness and quality of life in the United States by promoting physical activity.
ACSM contends that researching and understanding the scope of the problem is the first step toward developing programs, initiatives and policies to increase physical activity.
The data evaluated for this report will help identify each metropolitan area's strengths and weaknesses. With AFI's network of health promotions partners, community programs, allied associations and other organizations, each community will be able to tap into best practices and existing resources to address its unique makeup of opportunities and challenges. The ultimate result will be an improvement in community fitness and a reduction in the rates of obesity and other chronic diseases.
San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area achieved the top ranking in the AFI data report with a score of 403, based on figures related to healthy lifestyles and physical activity.
The Bay Area scored above average on personal health indicators, such as the percentage of citizens who exercise regularly at least at moderate intensity, consistent with ACSM physical activity recommendations.
Nearly 32 percent of its citizens eat five or more fruits and vegetables per day. San Franciscans and their neighbors are more likely to have health insurance, less likely to have chronic health problems, and are comprised of fewer smokers on average.
The region also fared well for amenities, such as parks and athletic facilities, and an above-average number of commuters who bike, walk or use public transportation. The number of primary care health providers in the Bay Area was among the highest for the largest metropolitan areas.
An ACSM research team from the Indiana University School of Family Medicine collected and analyzed the data gleaned from U.S. Census data, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), and other existing research data in order to give a scientific, accurate snapshot of the health and fitness status at a metropolitan level.
The metropolitan rankings included in the report are:
1. San Francisco, Calif. (Bay Area)
2. Seattle, Wa. (Seattle Metro)
3. Boston, Mass. (Greater Boston)
4. Washington D.C. (Washington Metro)
5. Atlanta, Ga. (Metro Atlanta)
6. Philadelphia, Pa. (Delaware
Valley)
7. Chicago, Ill. (Chicagoland)
8. Dallas, Texas (Dallas/Ft. Worth
Metroplex)
9. New York City (Tri-State Region)
10. Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (South
Florida Metro)
11. Phoenix, Ariz. (Valley of the Sun)
12. Indianapolis, Ind. (Greater
Indianapolis)
13. Houston, Texas (Greater Houston)
14. Los Angeles, Calif. (Greater Los
Angeles)
15. Riverside, Calif. (Inland Empire)
16. Detroit, Mich. (Detroit Metro)
