What's Good
- Mayor Meyera E. Oberndorf sets a positive example, exercising as much as 4 days per week.
- Oberndorf also participates in more fitness-related events than most mayors.
- Virginia has "snack tax" laws aimed at reducing obesity and improving nutrition.
- Air quality here is among the best of any city in our survey, according to EPA air quality standards.
- Prefer to lift weights 12 ounces at a time? You'll have a harder time doing it in Virginia Beach than in most places. Per capita, there are 83 percent fewer bars here than the national average in our survey.
- Residents don't have far to go to get to their local parks: Virginia Beach has 242 municipal parks, among the most of any city on a per capita basis, according to our exclusive survey of municipal park departments.
- Although many other states participate in a CDC-sponsored program to reduce obesity and other chronic diseases, Virginia doesn't.
- Basketball courts are practically everywhere here, among the highest number per capita in our survey. There's a court here for every 1,467 residents; the national average is one court per 7,260 people.
- Golfers can choose from 10 public courses. Relative to population, that's more than almost anywhere else we surveyed.
- There are 68 percent more tennis courts per capita here than average among cities in our survey.
- Virginia Beach residents are 52 percent more likely than average to perform calisthenics - the highest rate of any city in our survey.
- Virginia Beach residents are seriously into cardio kickboxing, with a participation rate that's 69 percent above average for cities in our survey. Overall, the city ranks 2nd in this category.
- Virginia Beach dwellers flip for gymnastics: They're 185 percent more likely than average to participate, the highest rate in our survey.
- Virginia Beach is the 3rd most popular place in our survey for high-impact aerobic dancing. People here are 59 percent more likely than average to do it.
- 18.3 percent of Virginia Beach residents run or jog - 3rd highest in our survey.
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What Isn't
- According to Nielsen Media Research, TV viewers in the Virginia Beach market spend 23 percent more time in front of the tube than average among cities in our survey.
- Feel like hitting the public pool for a morning swim? Good luck finding an open lane. Virginia Beach has one pool for every 72,603 residents - 51 percent more crowded than average in our survey.
- Residents of Virginia Beach are 65 percent less likely than average to use aerobic rider machines.
- Virginia Beach locals are 53 percent less than average to burn the calories on a ski machine - the 3rd lowest rate of any city in our survey.
- Virginia Beach residents are 56 percent less likely than average to go day hiking. That's the 2nd lowest participation rate in our survey.
- The residents of Virginia Beach are 66 percent less likely than average to ski, the 3rd lowest rate of any city in our survey.
- Virginia Beach residents are 55 percent less likely than average to go hiking. That's the 2nd lowest participation rate in our survey.
- Freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, doggie paddle . . . Virginia Beach residents are 21 percent less likely than average to participate in recreational swimming - the 2nd lowest in our survey.
- Virginia Beach residents are 49 percent less likely than average to play soccer - the lowest rate in our survey.
- Virginia Beach residents are 39 percent less likely than average to play softball - the 4th lowest participation rate in our survey.
- Virginia Beach residents are 36 percent less likely than average to play tennis - the 2nd lowest rate of any city in our survey.
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