This Washington city is among the fittest in the US, study says. Here’s why

One city in Washington was named the third most fit in the United States, a new study found.

Using 34 factors, the American College of Sports Medicine evaluated 100 of the country’s largest cities by comparing personal and community health data to rank each into the American Fitness Index.

Seattle nabbed the No. 3 spot for overall health and fitness, according to the study released last week.

The index narrowed down the factors into two “sub-scores:” personal health and community/environment. Seattle was ranked No. 5 in personal health and No. 11 for community and environment.

The organization added two new indicators to determine a city’s standing in 2021: food insecurity and sleep.

Seattle was one of the top 10 cities for getting seven or more hours of sleep (No. 5), exercising in the previous month (No. 7) and “meeting aerobic activity guidelines” (No. 7).

The other factors used to determine each city’s ranking included health behaviors, health outcomes, built environment, recreational facilities and policy/funding.

Much of the data in 2021’s index was collected before the COVID-19 pandemic, the study said.

“The effects of the pandemic on personal health behaviors and health outcomes will not be fully understood for several years,” according to the American College of Sports Medicine.

Seattle follows Arlington, Virginia (No. 1) and Minneapolis (No. 2) in the rankings. Arlington ranked first for the fourth year in a row.

Earlier this year, Washington was named the best state in the country for the second consecutive time by U.S. News and World Report, in part because of its healthcare system.