The U.S. States in the Best and Worst Shape—Do Snow Sports Play a Role?

Brent Thomas | | Post Tag for Industry NewsIndustry NewsPost Tag for BrainsBrains
cross fit
Credit: muscleandfitness.com

Where you live geographically could impact how fit you are. Depending on health status and lifestyle indicators, some states are in better shape than others.

Recent data from RunReviews.com ranked all the states on how “in shape” they were based on several factors.

They were:

  • Obesity
  • Diabetes
  • Heart Disease
  • Wellness Checkups
  • Exercise
  • Gyms Available 

Results are in the infographic below:

map
Credit: runreviews.com

Overall, the top 13 states in the best shape are mostly located in the Northeast and Western U.S. Could it be because of the snow sports available in those areas? This wasn’t a direct factor used in the analysis, but there certainly appears to be a correlation with the outdoor recreational opportunities that are available.

Additionally, is it any coincidence that many states in the Southeast fell at the bottom of the list? Another interesting point is the state that scored the highest isn’t a state at all (DC).

This is also your reminder that summer is winding down and ski season is around the corner. Now is the time to make sure your fitness level will match the kind of season you want to have. Find an exercise program and get in your best shape.

data
Credit: runreviews.com

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4 thoughts on “The U.S. States in the Best and Worst Shape—Do Snow Sports Play a Role?

  1. Having moved from Texas to Colorado – It’s highly unlikely that snow sports in particular contribute to having a state that’s more in shape… What’s more likely is these states have diversified activities that one can participate in, which contribute to improved health in an environment conducive to exercise. Colorado for example, while not making it into the top 5 list for gym access has an abundant supply of outdoor recreation opportunities in a fairly comfortable environment. Have you tried to workout outside in the Southeast? It sucks. Grinding away in a gym for your entire life just to stay in shape isn’t the most motivating. Another significant factor is going to be the socioeconomic status of the population… I imagine if you drew a comparison between this list and compared it to a ranking of states (richest to poorest based on median per-capita income), you’d find a pretty solid correlation.

  2. Unfortunately, obesity statistics are calculated based on BMI and BMI isn’t an accurate determiner of “obesity.” It fails to consider vital influencing factors such as body type, gender, age, and bone density. Additionally, it can’t distinguish between muscle and fat. Arnold Schwarzenegger (competition weight), Dwayne Johnson, and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin are all considered “Obese.” Considering the popularity of body building and power lifting the US, it wouldn’t surprise me if the BMI-based metric skewed our overall obesity rate upwards… Then again, the US also just has a lot of fat people, especially post-COVID.

  3. 24% of adults in Colorado are obese (and that is the LEAST obese state).
    Wow!!!!! U-S-A! U-S-A!

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