The fittest cities in America: See how yours compares
People enjoy the sunny day around the National Mall in Washington D.C., on Aug. 14, 2023. Celal Günes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
City officials have an important role to play in ensuring the well-being of their communities. Here’s how they can address resident health through policy and resources.
A new report from the American College of Sports Medicine offers city officials insights into how fit—or unfit—their residents are. The data can help policymakers effectively address the mental and physical health needs of their communities.
Helping residents “be healthier earlier in life is definitely going to decrease their risk of chronic disease, which will definitely decrease the effects on the health care system, on insurance [and] on the economy,” said Stella Volpe, president of the American College of Sports Medicine and head of Virginia Tech’s Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise.
Researchers assessed the 100 most populous cities based on census data, she said, and ranked cities by considering health indicators like a city’s built environment, food accessibility and public transportation options. The report ranks the cities using an index that draws on a range of public data from 2018 to 2022.
The highest-ranking cities this year kept their top seats from 2023: Arlington, Virginia; Washington, D.C.; and Seattle. Arlington has ranked No. 1 for seven years in a row, Volpe said.
In recognition of the post-pandemic mental health crisis, Volpe said cities have beefed up their mental and behavioral services in recent years. Seattle, for instance, launched its Community Assisted Response and Engagement, or CARE, team in October. The team links individuals experiencing a mental health crisis with city resources like temporary shelter, transportation services and food assistance.
King County, Washington, where Seattle is located, also offers publicly funded mental health services for low-income residents who qualify for Medicaid, including family therapy, psychiatric and medical services and peer support services.
Volpe pointed out that a city’s infrastructure and built environment also have a significant impact on residents’ well-being. For instance, cities with plenty of sidewalks in dense neighborhoods or easy access to public transportation to access parks and green spaces are likely to see more physical activity among residents, she said, which has been linked to decreased stress, better sleep and reduced chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes.
The higher ranking communities like Arlington and Washington have developed a culture of walkability. In fact, Washington was named as having the best city park system in the nation last year by the Trust for Public Land, with about 24% of the city’s land dedicated to parks. Residents in cities with more parks were on average 9% less likely to experience poor mental health and 21% less likely to be inactive, compared with cities with fewer parks, according to data from the CDC and Trust for Public Land ParkScore index.
The design and geography of cities like Arlington and Washington lend themselves to residents walking, biking or taking public transit to navigate the community, promoting physical activity in their daily lives, Volpe said. Like many other “fit” cities, they include green spaces and recreational areas in their urban planning, which can build a local culture of active residents, she added.
Policymakers should also promote public events, such as holiday festivals, community-based sporting events or farmer’s markets, to encourage residents’ participation. Other ways city officials can encourage residents’ use of the built environment include developing more bike lanes and pedestrian-friendly walking paths and renovating existing public spaces into new parks or recreation centers, according to the report.
“By embracing collaborative advocacy and leveraging data-driven insights,” the report’s authors wrote, “we can collectively move towards a healthier future for America, one city at a time.”
NEXT STORY: Rules for out-of-town governors could cause headaches for potential VP pick