Fittest Cities in the U.S.: Washington D.C. Tops the List

May 28, 2014 12:35 PM EDT

Washington D.C. has topped a ranking of America’s 50 largest cities, arranged from fittest to flabbiest.

The new study, released on Wednesday by the American College of Sports Medicine, ranked the cities by two broad measures of public health: Personal health indicators such as prevalence of smoking and diabetes and the average city-dweller’s intake of fruits and vegetables, and environmental health, which included measures such as access to public parks, bike lanes and farmer’s markets. A panel of 26 health experts weighted the measures by importance, and voila, a health index was formed, allowing whole metropolises to size one another up like competitive weightlifters.

Washington D.C. topped the list, knocking Minneapolis-St. Paul’s off of its three-year winning streak (though the Twin cities came in a close second). Oklahoma City, Louisville, and Memphis rounded out the bottom of the list.

The authors stress that some of the rankings capture marginal differences between cities and that they all have areas of strength worth emulating and weaknesses worth addressing.

“We have issued the American Fitness Index each year since 2008 to help health advocates and community leader advocates improve the quality of life in their hometowns,” said Walter Thompson, chair of the AFI Advisory Board.

In other words, they’re all beautiful in their own way, and they all could use some work.

Senate Deal on U.S. Debt Limit Emerging as Time Runs Short — A jogger runs past the United States Capitol building at sunrise in Washington on Tuesday, October 15, 2013. Pete Marovich—Bloomberg/Getty Images

2013 National Cherry Blossom Festival — A man jogs beneath cherry blossoms in bloom at the Tidal Basin in Washington on April 8, 2013. Michael Reynolds—EPA/Corbis

USA - Bush - Veteran - Jogging — Former US President George W. Bush jogs with Army Staff Sergeant Christian Bagge, at the White House in Washington on June 27, 2006.Matthew Cavanaugh—EPA/Corbis

Government Shutdown in Washington DC — Marines jog past the Lincoln Memorial on the second day of a partial government shutdown in Washington, on October 2, 2013.Jim Lo Scalzo—EPA/Corbis

A man jogs through the snow on the National Mall in Washington — A jogger makes his way through the snow on the National Mall in Washington on February 13, 2014.Kevin Lamarque—Reuters/Corbis

Runners pass the U.S. Supreme Court during the Cupid's Undie Run, billed by organizers as the 'world's largest underwear race', in Washington — Runners pass the U.S. Supreme Court during the Cupid's Undie Run, which raises money for the Children's Tumor Foundation in Washington on February 9, 2013.Jonathan Ernst—Reuters

Runner ascends steps at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington — A runner ascends the steps leading up to the west side of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on October 18, 2012.Kevin Lamarque—Reuters

U.S. First Lady Obama jogs with children at a back-to-school event in Washington — U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama jogs with children at a back-to-school event at Orr Elementary School in Washington on September 6, 2013.Gary Cameron—Reuters

Natali Segovia, a tourist from Arizona, runs up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as it is re-opened to the public in Washington on October 17, 2013.Kevin Lamarque—Reuters

A jogger passes the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial after it was re-opened to the public in Washington on October 17, 2013.Kevin Lamarque—Reuters

U.S. President Barack Obama presents the first family's new dog Bo at the White House — U.S. President Barack Obama presents the first family's new Portuguese Water Dog puppy, Bo, on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington on April 14, 2009.Larry Downing—Reuters

Washington D.C. Is The Fittest City In The U.S.

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