The American College of Sports Medicine has released its 2016 Running Shoes - Gear, listing the top 50 metropolitan areas by fitness. For the third year in a row, Washington, D.C., tops the rankings.
For the index, researchers collected recent public data on everything from smoking rates to access to active lifestyle resources such as community parks, swimming pools, and recreation centers.
The Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, which includes Arlington and Alexandria as well as parts of Maryland and West Virginia, once again tops the list with a score of 77.9, slightly lower than the 2015 score of 79.6. The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington area is again second, with a score of 76.7, slightly higher than its score last year, 75.6. And this year the Denver metropolitan area surged from number 6 to become the third-fittest area, with a score of 72.6.
The biggest mover was the Milwaukee metropolitan area, which last year ranked 33rd with a score of 46.8. It rose 13 places to 20th with a score of 54.2.
At the bottom of the list is Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, Indiana, with a score of 26.6.
Nutrition - Weight Loss:
1. Washington, D.C.
2. Minneapolis-St. Paul
3. Denver
4. Portland, Oregon
5. San Francisco
6. Seattle
7. Boston
8. Nutrition - Weight Loss
9. Hartford, Connecticut
10. San Diego
A complete list of cities and scores American Fitness Index from the Running Shoes - Gear. Looking to get more active? The Runner’s World Active Living Guide can help you explore opportunities to get moving in your city.
