The Most and Least Active Cities in America

[agalisgv]

Same for Oklahoma City.

Word

[olympic]

I opened up the Men's Health link to see the whole list - shocked to see Miami, FL is #12.

We're unsurprisingly hot down here w/ a lack of good public transportation, and then add in heavy carb-rich Latin food, but I guess it's more than balanced out by the locals worrying about being in shorts or a bathing suit most of the year which may translate to a lot more self-consciousness.

[danceronice]

I'm kind of surprised to see D.C. on the list of most actives. You definitely see a good amount of heavy people around town. Just look at members of Congress, (except for the shirtless Congressman that was on the cover of Men Health a few months ago)

You can walk everywhere (and I never really noticed that many unfit people--it's certianly not like Detroit proper, where...well, let's just say I suppose fat and diabetes are really the least of your problems if you live in Detroit.) I got so much exercise just walking in DC because I never HAD to drive if I was actually in the city.

Though in Boston, everyone acted STUNNED if I said I walked from, say, North Station to the Common. It isn't THAT far, people, certainly not worth dealing with the long waits and crowds for the stupid Green Line, and it sure as heck wasn't worth paying for parking if I didn't have to. But if you say you walked anywhere instead of either driving or wasting hours of your life waiting on the public transit system they stared like you had two heads.

[Vagabond]

What I find odd is that SF and Oakland -- two metropolitan areas that bump into each other are 2&3 but San Jose, the 3rd metropolitan area that also bumps up against SF and Oakland, isn't even in the top 10, but is down in 17. I can assure you that the entire area has pretty much the same level of physical activity. In fact, I see more biking in San Jose than SF because it's so hilly in SF and also biking is more dangerous.

It would be interesting to study why San Jose is lower. Two things that make it different from San Francisco and Oakland are that the residential part of the city is much less hilly and that there are a lot more ranch-style houses, which don't have stairs. I'm also under the impression that people in San Jose use their cars more.

I also find it interesting that San Francisco and Oakland are so close in the rankings even though their demographic composition is very different. Perhaps ethnic diets and attitudes about exercise make less of a difference than is commonly supposed.

[Cachoo]

It is a 100 plus degree day today. I just returned from one hour of lap swimming and the water felt so good. The pool is Olympic-sized: the fee to swim is nominal. There were four of us today. Four. I live in number 87. We know we are among the biggest people in the nation (me included) and yet we just seem to get bigger (me not included.) I am flummoxed.

[MacMadame]

I also find it interesting that San Francisco and Oakland are so close in the rankings even though their demographic composition is very different. Perhaps ethnic diets and attitudes about exercise make less of a difference than is commonly supposed.

But remember these rankings are using "metropolitan areas" and just the downtown parts of the city or even the city limits. All around Oakland are areas of great wealth as well as a healthy middle class and there is great ethnic diversity.

I don't think their demographic compositions are all that different really. Oakland definitely has more flat areas downtown though!

[Vagabond]

But remember these rankings are using "metropolitan areas" and just the downtown parts of the city or even the city limits.

I don't think so. Take a look at the list.

San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose are in the same metropolitan area.
So are Dallas and Ft. Worth.
So are New York, Newark and Jersey City.
So are Minneapolis and St. Paul.
So are Tampa and St. Petersburg.
So are Denver and Aurora.
So are Raleigh and Durham.

The lead-in to the list is brief, but it calls Lexington "America's Most Sedentary City," without saying anything about metropolitan areas.

[FunnyBut]

But I routinely waste as much time on FSU

We should be thankful they did not study 'least active members of forums'

[NancyNC]

Same for Oklahoma City.

I spent the first 27 years of my life in OKC and I am also confused!

[MacMadame]

San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose are in the same metropolitan area.

Sort of. There is a defined list of metropolitan areas that is used for statistical purposes so that these studies compare apples to apples. On the official list, this area that I live in is divided into two metropolitan area. One is called San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont and the other is called San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara.

So, the Mens Health survey wasn't using the official metropolitan areas and, since they didn't really go into their methods that much, we don't really know what they used to define these "cities". Probably something made up and as stupid as their "active" criteria.

Anyway I live here, have lived here for 16+ years and I am active and I'm saying that people who live in San Jose aren't less active than people in Oakland. I also think their criteria is silly.

[Vash01]

I am shocked that Las Vegas is not on the top 10 list of most active cities, but Reno is. I thought Vegas would be near the top.

[Japanfan]

Reno definitely is different from Vegas. And, when I lived there, neither I nor my friends were spending our time at the casinos. Most of the casinos are in one part of the city. I've never had a fried Mars bar in my life. Most restaurants in the city are not Mexican and it's not like Mexican food is necessarily the most unhealthy option in the world. Reno is actually known more for steakhouses than Mexican food.

Sure wish someone would tell my SIL that, she's been there 10 years already and is still discovering new Mexican restaurants which she just must share with all who visit.

[skateboy]

I'm shocked that New York City isn't in the top five. Everyone is active there--no one has a car!

[PrincessLeppard]

I am shocked that Las Vegas is not on the top 10 list of most active cities, but Reno is. I thought Vegas would be near the top.

Pulling the lever on a slot machine isn't really that great of an exercise.

[Spinner]

Pulling the lever on a slot machine isn't really that great of an exercise.

I'm sure shoe-shopping is though.

[PrincessLeppard]

True. Some of the malls there are quite large.

[manhn]

Do Vegas residents spend much time on the Strip (unless they work there)? You do walk everywhere, but I figure residents would not have the same inclination to walk like tourists (trying to leave a hotel is always tricky and tiring).

[MacMadame]

Do Vegas residents spend much time on the Strip (unless they work there)? You do walk everywhere, but I figure residents would not have the same inclination to walk like tourists (trying to leave a hotel is always tricky and tiring).

There's an active outdoor community there. Lots of races are set in LV too (marthons, triathlons, etc). The heat in the summer is a big issue, of course, but it is in Reno too, IME.

[Kasey]

The heat in the summer is a big issue, of course, but it is in Reno too, IME.

Generally in the summer, there is still a 10-15F degree differential between Vegas and Reno (Vegas being hotter)