What's Good
- Mayor Lionel Rivera sets a positive example, exercising as much as 4 days per week.
- Rivera also participates in more fitness-related events than most mayors.
- Colorado state law limits or prohibits obesity-related lawsuits against food manufacturers and restaurants.
- According to the CDC, 20 percent of residents in the Colorado Springs area are clinically obese. The national average is 23.17 percent.
- According to the CDC's Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance Survey, just 35 percent of adults here are overweight enough to increase their risk of weight-related health problems. That's the 9th best score of any city in our survey. Compare it to a national average of 58.06 percent.
- The CDC says 85 percent of adults are physically active, at least to the point where they're not putting their health at risk. That's the 4th best score of any city in our survey. The national average for our survey was 76.35 percent.
- The local commute is much easier than in most cities - 48 percent less oppressive than average, leaving more time to exercise and prepare healthy meals. Commuter stress may also raise levels of cortisol, a hormone linked to weight gain and other health problems.
- In a CDC survey, 85 percent of adults said they'd gotten at least some leisure time exercise in the past month. The average in our survey is 77 percent.
- Air quality here is among the best of any city in our survey, according to EPA air quality standards.
- Residents don't have far to go to get to their local parks: Colorado Springs has 209 municipal parks, among the most of any city on a per capita basis, according to our exclusive survey of municipal park departments.
- Colorado Springs's park acreage per capita is 142 percent higher than average and the 3rd highest in our survey. Research has found a connection between access to parks and green space and reduced obesity rates.
- Health-food stores are plentiful in Colorado Springs: There's one for every 5,246 residents, handily beating the national average of 12,441.
- Colorado Springs residents participate in sports much more than average - 36 percent more than average, in fact.
- Colorado is one of 28 states that participates in a CDC-sponsored program to reduce obesity and other chronic diseases.
- Colorado Springs gained points in our Motivation category for high participation rates in running, biking and walking despite a relatively immoderate climate.
- Basketball courts are practically everywhere here, among the highest number per capita in our survey. There's a court here for every 3,800 residents; the national average is one court per 7,260 people.
- Our survey has found 59 percent more sporting-goods stores in Colorado Springs than average, a good indicator of an active populace.
- Colorado Springs residents are 40 percent more likely than average to perform calisthenics - the 3rd highest rate of any city in our survey.
- Colorado Springs residents are 95 percent more likely than average to go day hiking. That's the highest participation rate in our survey.
- From bunny slope beginners to alpine skiing pros, the residents of Colorado Springs are 209 percent more likely than average to be found in the powder, the highest rate of any city in our survey.
- Approximately 18 percent of Colorado Springs residents exercise with dumbbells. That's 43 percent more than average and the 3rd highest rate in our survey.
- Elliptical motion trainers are about 49 percent more popular than average in Colorado Springs, the 2nd highest overall rate among cities in our survey.
- Colorado Springs residents are into fitness bicycling - they do it about 87 percent more than average, the 2nd highest overall rate among cities in our survey.
- Colorado Springs residents are 104 percent more likely than average to go hiking. That's the highest participation rate in our survey.
- Approximately 5 percent of Colorado Springs residents have a home gym. That's 46 percent more than average, and the 3rd highest rate in our survey.
- People in Colorado Springs are 233 percent more likely than average to play lacrosse.
- 5 percent of Colorado Springs residents practice martial arts, the 3rd highest participation rate in our survey.
- You'll find a higher percentage of mountain bikers in Colorado Springs than almost anywhere else in our survey - 11.7 percent of residents. The national average is 2.5 percent.
- Approximately 7 percent of Colorado Springs residents do Pilates. That's the 2nd highest rate in our survey.
- 18.8 percent of Colorado Springs residents run or jog - 2nd highest in our survey.
- Colorado Springs locals are 287 percent more likely than average to go snowboarding - the 2nd highest rate in our survey.
- Colorado Springs dwellers are 560 percent more likely than average to go snowshoeing, the 2nd highest in our survey.
- Colorado Springs residents are 75 percent more likely than average to participate in yoga/tai chi. Compared to other cities, Colorado Springs is the 3rd most popular place in our survey for these activities.
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What Isn't
- The number of heavy drinkers here is high: Colorado Springs has 17 percent more than average and the, 7th highest in our survey.
- Colorado Springs is home to 29 percent more pizza places per capita than the average among cities in our survey.
- Almost nobody participates in high-impact aerobic dancing here; Colorado Springs has the 4th lowest participation rate of any city in our survey. People here are 53 percent less likely than average to do it.
- Almost nobody in Colorado Springs participates in low-impact aerobic dancing; the participation rate here is the 2nd lowest of any city in our survey.
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