Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons

Bloomberg may think we need to cut our sugar consumption, but it turns out New Yorkers are only getting fitter. Last month the New York City metro area ranked 22nd in the American Fitness Index, a report released annually from the American College of Sport Medicine which looks at health and fitness in the fifty most populated metropolitan areas in the US. The report analyzes personal health indicators related to health behaviors, chronic health problems and health care, as well as community and environmental indicators of health and fitness.

A 22nd place ranking may not sound so hot, but it’s an eight point jump for New Yorkers from the prior year. The City still has a ways to go before it can compete with Minneapolis, which pulled the top spot for fittest city this year.

AFI Advisory Board Chair Walter Thompson, Ph.D. said: “For cities to compete for talent in the future and to provide a high quality of life for residents, it’s critical to regularly evaluate the infrastructure, community assets, policies and opportunities that encourage healthy and fit lifestyles,” according to a press release.

—Alissa Fleck

More information on rankings is available on the AFI website.