Inactivity can cause a number of health problems. The CDC reports that people who exercise regularly generally have better heart health, lower weight, improved brain health, and less likelihood of some cancers. On the other hand, obesity is rampant in America, so millions ignore the CDC data. The CDC says that over 40% of Americans are obese. This carries the risk of heart disease, some cancers, and Type 2 diabetes.
Among the reasons some cities and states are better for active adults is that they have areas where people can be active. And, this varies from place to place. Some cities don’t have many parks and other outdoor places to exercise but have gyms with expensive membership fees, while others seemingly have a gym and/or a park on every block.
To compile a list of the best state for an active lifestyle, 24/7 Tempo reviewed a ranking by Myprotein, a sports nutrition online retailer, which analyzed price of a gym membership in every state and D.C. (as compared to cost of living), the availability of gyms and green space, tennis court rental, and healthy grocery stores.
New York is among the best states for living an active lifestyle even though it is the most expensive state for gym-goers, with the average cost of a monthly membership coming in at just over $105.
At the other end of the scale, Alabama offers the cheapest gym memberships, costing just $22 on average, but the state ranks in the middle in terms of overall active lifestyle-friendliness. That distinction goes to Rhode Island, which scored highest for affordability, second for green space, and seventh for gym access.
Here are details on Rhode Island:
> Total score: 146
> Gyms: 6.9 per 100,000 people
> Share of residents living within 10 mins of a park: 99%
> Affordability rank: 1 out of 51