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American Fitness Index

ACSM American Fitness Index

Arlington, VA named America’s Fittest City, 2024
Arlington Virginia skyline
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In 2008, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) launched the ACSM American Fitness Index (Fitness Index), in partnership with the Elevance Health Foundation. The Fitness Index ranks America’s 100 largest cities on a composite of health behaviors, health outcomes, community infrastructure, and local policies that support a physically active lifestyle. With the help of the Fitness Index, local officials, community groups, health organizations, and individual residents can assess factors contributing to their city’s fitness, health, and quality of life.

The Fitness Index offers tailored guidance to local officials and community leaders that are ready to make their city one of the healthiest cities in America. This assistance focuses on strategies and policies with the best evidence for improving health, increasing physical activity, and that does the most good for the most residents – with a priority on under-served populations.

The ACSM American Fitness Index Advisory Board is a standing board separate from the ACSM Board of Trustees. The Advisory Board is committed to a strong link and communications with the ACSM Board of Trustees, membership, and existing strategic initiatives.

Chair: Stella Volpe, Ph.D., RDN, ACSM-CEP, FACSM, Virginia Tech University

  • Rebecca Battista, PhD, FACSM, Appalachian State University
  • Amelia Susanne Bruce Leicht, PhD
  • Ed Coyle, PhD, FACSM, University of Texas at Austin
  • Chris Ha, DO, Mayo Clinic
  • Doris Morris, PhD, Kennesaw State University
  • Alvin Morton, III, PhD, Merrimack College
  • Amanda Paluch, PhD, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • Amy Rantala, MD
  • Melissa Roti, PhD, FACSM, Westfield State University
  • Jong Cheol Shin, PhD
  • John Sirard, PhD, FACSM, University of Massachusetts
  • Zachary Townsend
  • Amber L. Vermeesch, PhD, MSN, FNP-C, R.N., CNE, FACSM, FNAP, ANEF, FAANP, University of North Carolina Greensboro
  • Jeff Whitfield, PhD, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Janet Wojcik, PhD, FACSM, Winthrop University
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For all media and information inquiries, contact ACSM Chief Communications Officer Paul Branks.