Nation’s Capital Region Leads Fittest Cities in 2023 ACSM American Fitness Index® Ranking
Incidence of chronic disease — 6 in 10 face chronic conditions — calls for more exercise Indianapolis, IN (July 18, 2023) — Arlington, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., are the top cities in the 16th annual ACSM American Fitness Index® (Fitness Index) rankings published by the American College of Sports Medicine® (ACSM) and the Elevance Health […]
Play(grounds) for All: Inclusive Playgrounds and the Fitness Professional
For children, playgrounds offer numerous physical, social and cognitive benefits, including the development of motor skills, social skills, creativity and independence. These structures, defined as a designated play area that contains traditional play equipment linked together by paths, provide rich contexts for children to explore their social and physical environments. As a result, playgrounds offer […]
Community Gardens: Enhancing Nutrition, Physical Activity and Connection in Neighborhoods Across America
Gardening goes in and out of fashion over time, but the COVID-19 pandemic ushered in a new, younger wave of gardeners, many of whom grow in one of the more than 29,000 community garden plots located in city parks in the 100 largest U.S. cities. Community gardens have many benefits, including promoting healthy eating and physical […]
Economic Benefits of Workplace Wellness Programs and Changes since COVID-19
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more employees have shifted to hybrid and remote work in office work, telehealth, information technology, education and other fields; however, there are many jobs that cannot be performed remotely, such as transportation, hospitality, manufacturing, food service, supermarket and other retail work and the majority of healthcare positions. Therefore, […]
Physical Activity in School-Aged Children
School-aged children should get at least 60 minutes of moderate- or vigorous-intensity physical activity every day of the week. Only 26% of adolescents met these physical activity guidelines in 2018, and that percentage has remained stable since 2011. The COVID-19 pandemic made it even more difficult for children to meet these guidelines. Despite knowing the risk of sedentary behavior […]
Physical Activity Guidelines for School-Age Children
School-aged children should get at least 60 minutes of moderate- or vigorous-intensity physical activity every day of the week
How to Build a Bike-Friendly Community
Cycling is an ideal form of transportation and recreation: More physically engaging than driving and far more mechanically efficient than walking or running, it’s the perfect balance of convenience and exercise. It’s better for our health, and better for the environment. There’s a sticking point, though: Many communities lack the necessary infrastructure for safe cycling. […]
Arlington, Va., Named Fittest City in 2022 American Fitness Index® Ranking
Arlington, Virginia, has been named “America’s Fittest City” in the annual American Fitness Index® rankings published by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the Elevance Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Elevance Health. The ACSM / Elevance Health Foundation Fitness Index evaluated America’s 100 largest cities using 34 evidence-based indicators. Rounding out the top […]
#EatingHealthy: Can Nutrition Apps Do the Job?
We’ve all seen the increase in the number of available apps to monitor lifestyle behaviors such as physical activity, sleep and stress. There is also clear interest in apps that monitor diet and nutrition. So, how do you know if a nutrition app will be helpful? In the last few years, millions of users have downloaded and […]
The Importance of Sleep for Health
When we think about the most important actions that we can take to protect our health, we usually consider behaviors such as partaking in regular physical activity or eating a nutritious diet. Yet, an often-overlooked aspect of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is sleep. Sleep has serious implications for your physical and mental health. Adequate sleep […]