Mayor John W. Hickenlooper sets a positive example, exercising as much as 3 days per week.
According to the CDC, 20 percent of residents in Denver area are clinically obese. The national average is 23.17 percent.
According to Nielsen Media Research, TV viewers in the Denver market spend 41 percent less time in front of the tube than average among cities in our survey.
The CDC says 83 percent of adults are physically active, at least to the point where they're not putting their health at risk. That's the 7th best score of any city in our survey. The national average for our survey was 76.35 percent.
In a CDC survey, 83 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.
Denver's park acreage per capita is 115 percent higher than average and the 4th highest in our survey. Research has found a connection between access to parks and green space and reduced obesity rates.
Denver 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.
Denver gained points in our Motivation category for high participation rates in running, biking and walking despite a relatively immoderate climate.
Feel like hitting the public pool for a morning swim? You'll have better luck finding an open lane here than in most cities. Denver has one pool for every 20,249 residents - 58 percent less crowded than average in our survey.
Locals are 95 percent more likely than average to do aquatic exercise.
Denver residents are 73 percent more likely than average to go day hiking. That's the 2nd highest participation rate in our survey.
From bunny slope beginners to alpine skiing pros, the residents of Denver are 200 percent more likely than average to be found in the powder, the 2nd highest rate of any city in our survey.
Approximately 21 percent of Denver residents exercise with dumbbells. That's 64 percent more than average and the 2nd highest rate in our survey.
Elliptical motion trainers are about 81 percent more popular than average in Denver, the highest overall rate among cities in our survey.
Denver residents are into fitness bicycling - they do it about 126 percent more than average, the highest overall rate among cities in our survey.
Approximately 25 percent of Denver residents have a health club membership. That's 44 percent more than average, and the highest rate in our survey.
Denver residents are 88 percent more likely than average to go hiking. That's the 2nd highest participation rate in our survey.
Approximately 5 percent of Denver residents have a home gym. That's 55 percent more than average, and the 2nd highest rate in our survey.
People in Denver are 258 percent more likely than average to play lacrosse.
5 percent of Denver residents practice martial arts, the highest participation rate in our survey.
You'll find a higher percentage of mountain bikers in Denver than almost anywhere else in our survey - 11.5 percent of residents. The national average is 2.5 percent.
Approximately 7 percent of Denver residents do Pilates. That's the highest rate in our survey.
You don't often hear people boasting about playing roller hockey (and if you do, you probably shouldn't laugh - it's hardly a sport for wussies). Bragging rights go to Denver, the city with the 2nd highest participation rate for this bone-crushing sport.
18.3 percent of Denver residents run or jog - 3rd highest in our survey.
Denver has a higher per capita number of scuba divers than any other city in our survey.
Denver locals are 298 percent more likely than average to go snowboarding - the highest rate in our survey.
Denver dwellers are 629 percent more likely than average to go snowshoeing, the highest in our survey.
Approximately 18.8 percent of Denver residents ride stationary cycles for exercise. That's 46 percent more than average and the highest rate in our survey.
Denver dwellers are 27 percent more likely than average to use treadmills - the 3rd highest in our survey.
Denver residents are 78 percent more likely than average to participate in yoga/tai chi. Compared to other cities, Denver is the 2nd most popular place in our survey for these activities.
