USA Today tabbed Denver-Aurora as No. 7 on a Gallup Healthways list of the top 10 healthiest metro areas in the country, ahead of Minneapolis, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
Excerpt:
7. Denver-Aurora, Colo.
> Physical Health Index: 79.8
> Obesity rate: 19.3% (6th lowest)
> Blood pressure: 22.2% (7th lowest)
> Poverty rate: 12.7% (tied for 66th lowest)
A low obesity rate was one major reason the Denver metro area was one of the nation's healthiest. Less than one in five Denver-area residents were considered obese, considerably lower than the more than one in four of all Americans. According to a recent article from The Guardian, Denver is a "fitness mecca," with a well-established biking infrastructure and exercise culture. Unsurprisingly, residents of the Denver area were more likely than the vast majority of Americans to exercise on a regular basis, with more than 57% reporting 30-minute exercise sessions at least three times weekly. Regular exercise cannot only limit obesity, but also promotes overall physical health. The region also had one of America's lowest poverty rates, with less than 13% living under the poverty line. Poverty is linked to poor health outcomes because residents with low incomes often lack health education and the resources needed to afford healthy food, medicine and care service.
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