Somewhat surprising in light of how active Austin residents are– is a ranking of the city in the bottom of the top half of 100 cities by a fitness index published by the American College of Sports Medicine and the Anthem Foundation
Austin finished 43rd on a 2019 fitness index analyzing the 100 largest U.S. cities.
The index ranks the largest cities on community fitness resources as well as personal fitness indicators, measuring personal health behaviors like the percentage of residents who’ve exercised in the past month; the share of the population with chronic diseases like obesity; and community resources like the number of parks per 10,000 people and farmers markets per million people.
Austin ranked 38th on personal health measurements and 45th on community environment.
The study is designed to provide city leaders with information to help them improve their residents’ physical fitness by modifying policies and improving fitness options in the community.
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Which of the 100 Biggest Cities Are the Most Fit?
Overall Rank | State | Personal Health Rank | Community & Environment Rank |
1 | Arlington, Va. | 1 | 1 |
2 | Seattle | 3 | 9 |
3 | Minneapolis | 7 | 4 |
4 | San Francisco | 5 | 13 |
5 | Madison, Wis. | 2 | 21 |
6 | Washington, D.C. | 13 | 5 |
7 | St. Paul, Minn. | 27 | 2 |
8 | Irvine, Calif. | 8 | 28 |
9 | Denver | 15 | 26 |
10 | Portland, Ore. | 25 | 16 |
11 | Oakland, Calif. | 10 | 34 |
12 | San Jose, Calif. | 4 | 47 |
13 | Boise, Idaho | 16 | 33 |
14 | San Diego | 6 | 37 |
15 | Chicago | 32 | 3 |
16 | Pittsburgh | 31 | 10 |
17 | Lincoln, Neb. | 30 | 23 |
18 | Long Beach, Calif. | 18 | 41 |
19 | Boston | 44 | 7 |
20 | Sacramento, Calif. | 36 | 19 |
21 | St. Petersburg, Fla. | 37 | 20 |
22 | Atlanta | 29 | 27 |
23 | Virginia Beach, Va. | 21 | 43 |
24 | Santa Ana, Calif. | 9 | 72 |
25 | Milwaukee | 59.5 | 6 |
26 | Honolulu | 26 | 40 |
27 | Los Angeles | 17 | 58 |
28 | Durham, N.C. | 11 | 84 |
29 | Chula Vista, Calif. | 14 | 77 |
30 | Raleigh, N.C. | 23 | 53 |
31 | Albuquerque, N.M. | 40 | 32 |
32 | New York | 33 | 35 |
33 | Stockton, Calif. | 20 | 62 |
34 | Fremont, Calif. | 19 | 69 |
35 | Miami | 43 | 30 |
36 | Newark, N.J. | 39 | 36 |
37 | Anaheim, Calif. | 12 | 93 |
38 | Richmond, Va. | 63 | 17 |
39 | Colorado Springs, Colo. | 24 | 67 |
40 | Aurora, Colo. | 22 | 74 |
41 (tie) | Buffalo, N.Y. | 69 | 12 |
42 (tie) | Orlando, Fla. | 51 | 31 |
43 | Austin, Texas | 38 | 45 |
44 | PLano, Texas | 41 | 44 |
45 | Omaha, Neb. | 62 | 25 |
46 | Tampa, Fla. | 61 | 29 |
47 | Norfolk, Va. | 72 | 11 |
48 | Nashville, Tenn. | 28 | 78 |
49 | Reno, Nev. | 34.5 | 60 |
50 | Jersey City, N.J. | 47 | 49 |
51 | St. Louis | 76 | 15 |
52 | Baltimore | 78 | 14 |
53 | Tucson, Ariz. | 53 | 48 |
54 | New Orleans | 73 | 22 |
55 | Hialeah, Fla. | 58 | 46 |
56 | Greensboro, N.C. | 46 | 65 |
57 | Cincinnati | 74 | 24 |
58 | Riverside, Calif. | 48 | 63 |
59 | Glendale, Ariz. | 54 | 54 |
60 | Lubbock, Texas | 49 | 59 |
61 | Dallas | 57 | 55 |
62 | Anchorage, Alaska | 35 | 92 |
63 | Philadelphia | 93 | 8 |
64 | Fresno, Calif. | 45 | 83 |
65 | Cleveland | 90 | 18 |
66 | Mesa, Ariz. | 50 | 86 |
67 | Kansas City, Mo. | 75 | 39 |
68 | Chandler, Ariz. | 50 | 86 |
69 | Scottsdale, Ariz. | 55 | 90 |
70 | Columbus, Ohio | 68 | 56 |
71 | Phoenix | 52 | 94 |
72 | El Paso, Texas | 67 | 66 |
73 | Houston | 64 | 81 |
74 | Lexington, Ky. | 66 | 75 |
75 | Charlotte, N.C. | 42 | 98 |
76 | Garland, Texas | 65 | 89 |
77 | Jacksonville, Fla. | 80 | 51 |
78 | Irving, Texas | 70 | 70.5 |
79 | Baton Rouge, La. | 92 | 38 |
80 | Laredo, Texas | 84 | 50 |
81 | Winston-Salem, N.C. | 71 | 80 |
82 | San Antonio, Texas | 77 | 79 |
83 | Gilbert, Ariz. | 60 | 100 |
84 | Chesapeake, Va. | 81 | 64 |
85 | Las Vegas | 85 | 73 |
86 | Fort Wayne, Ind. | 84 | 76 |
87 | Memphis, Tenn. | 88 | 68 |
88 | Fort Worth, Texas | 79 | 96 |
89 | Henderson, Nev. | 87 | 82 |
90 | Wichita, Kan. | 86 | 88 |
91 | Corpus Christi, Texas | 100 | 42 |
92 | Arlington, Texas | 82 | 95 |
93 | Detroit | 97 | 52 |
94 | Bakersfield, Calif. | 91 | 91 |
95 | Louisville, Ky. | 95 | 70.5 |
96 | Indianapolis | 94 | 85 |
97 | Toledo, Ohio | 99 | 57 |
98 | Tulsa, Okla. | 98 | 61 |
99 | North Las Vegas, Nev. | 89 | 97 |
100 | Oklahoma City | 96 | 99 |
Source: American College of Sports Medicine’s American Fitness Index
This is a revised article first published by The Center Square.
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