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US States Ranked: Fitness Leaders and Laggards Revealed
3 Mar
Summary
- Vermont leads the nation in fitness, followed by Massachusetts and Washington.
- Southern states like Louisiana and Mississippi rank lowest in fitness levels.
- Study used 10 health indicators including obesity, sleep, and exercise rates.
A comprehensive study has revealed a stark fitness divide across the United States, with northern states generally leading and southern states lagging. Vermont secured the top spot with a high score of 8.97 out of 10, noted for its residents' excellent sleep habits, strong diet, plentiful exercise facilities, and low smoking rates.
Massachusetts followed in second place, achieving high marks for meeting aerobic activity thresholds and having a low adult smoking rate. Washington ranked third, distinguished by the most walking and running routes per capita. Colorado placed fourth, surprisingly topping the list for fast-food density despite having the lowest obesity rate and high gym access.
At the lower end, Louisiana scored poorly with the fewest gyms, high obesity, and significant physical inactivity. Mississippi and West Virginia were also among the bottom-ranked states, with West Virginia reporting the nation's highest adult obesity rate. The study's methodology involved analyzing ten health and lifestyle indicators from various government and open-source datasets, including obesity, smoking, sleep, diet, and exercise levels.
