What's Good
- Mayor R.T. Rybak sets a positive example, exercising as much as 5 days per week.
- Rybak also participates in more fitness-related events than most mayors.
- According to Nielsen Media Research, TV viewers in the Minneapolis market spend 49 percent less time in front of the tube than average among cities in our survey.
- The CDC says 87 percent of adults are physically active, at least to the point where they're not putting their health at risk. That's the best score of any city in our survey. The national average for our survey was 76.35 percent.
- In a CDC survey, 87 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.
- Minneapolis residents participate in sports much more than average - 36 percent more than average, in fact.
- Minneapolis gained points in our Motivation category for high participation rates in running, biking and walking despite a relatively immoderate climate.
- Minnesota has "snack tax" laws aimed at reducing obesity and improving nutrition.
- Basketball courts are practically everywhere here, among the highest number per capita in our survey. There's a court here for every 2,037 residents; the national average is one court per 7,260 people.
- Donuts are 80 percent less popular here than average, according to a comparison of places that sell the fat-fried, sugar-coated breakfast food. Minneapolis has the 2nd lowest number of donut shops per capita in our survey.
- Golfers can choose from 7 public courses. Relative to population, that's more than almost anywhere else we surveyed.
- There are 69 percent more tennis courts per capita here than average among cities in our survey.
- On a per capita basis, Minneapolis has 130 percent more gyms and health clubs than average, the highest in our survey.
- Boardsailing is huge for Minneapolis residents. Locals are 253 percent more likely than average to board sail - the highest participation rate of any city in our survey.
- Bowling is right up Minneapolis's alley. Residents are 43 percent more likely than average to bowl - the highest rate of any city in our survey.
- Minneapolis residents are 576 percent more likely than average to go cross-country skiing. That's the highest rate in our survey.
- From bunny slope beginners to alpine skiing pros, the residents of Minneapolis are 136 percent more likely than average to be found in the powder, the 3rd highest rate of any city in our survey.
- Minneapolis residents are into fitness bicycling - they do it about 76 percent more than average, the 3rd highest overall rate among cities in our survey.
- Approximately 22 percent of Minneapolis residents play golf. That's 113 percent more than average and the highest rate in our survey.
- Minneapolis residents are 107 percent more likely than average to go in-line skating. That's the highest in our survey.
- Whether it's the freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, or even doggie paddle . . . Minneapolis residents are 32 percent more likely than average to participate in recreational swimming - the highest in our survey.
- Minneapolis residents are 20 percent more likely than average to go for a walk, the 3rd highest rate of any city in our survey.
- Minneapolis dwellers are 367 percent more likely than average to go snowshoeing, the 3rd highest in our survey.
- Minneapolis residents are 58 percent more likely than average to play table tennis - the 2nd highest rate in our survey.
- Minneapolis residents are 84 percent more likely than average to play tennis - the highest rate of any city in our survey.
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What Isn't
- Minneapolis's climate makes it relatively difficult to get out and be active. In a comparison of sunny days, moderate temperatures and humidity, we ranked it 3rd worst of all cities.
- Binge drinking is more common here than most other places. In a national survey 17 percent of residents admitted they'd had five or more drinks at a sitting over the past 30 days. The average among cities in our survey is 14.74 percent.
- Fast food, widely implicated as a contributor to obesity, is more common in Minneapolis than most places in our survey. In a per capita comparison there are 26 percent more fast-food joints here than average.
- Minneapolis is home to 44 percent more pizza places per capita than the average among cities in our survey.
- Ice cream shops are 52 percent more popular in Minneapolis than average.
- Although many other states participate in a CDC-sponsored program to reduce obesity and other chronic diseases, Minnesota doesn't.
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