2009 Fittest Cities: #5 Albuquerque, NM
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Fitness Centers & Sport Stores: B
Nutrition: C-
Sports Participation: B+
TV Viewing: B
Overweight/Sedentary: B+
Junk Food: B
Air Quality: B-
Geography: A-
Commute: B+
Parks & Open Space: A
City Rec Facilities: B-
Access to Healthcare: C
Motivation: C
Mayor & City Initiatives: A
State Obesity Initiatives: D+
What's Good
Mayor Martin J. Chavez participates in more fitness-related public events than most mayors and exercising as often as 5 days a week.
The CDC says 57 percent of adults here get either 30 minutes of moderate exercise five or more days a week or 20 minutes of vigorous exercise three or more times per week. In the average city in our survey, 49.6 percent of adults exercise at these levels.
Albuquerque's park acreage per capita is 261 percent higher than average and the 2nd highest in our survey. Research has found a connection between access to parks and green space and reduced obesity rates.
Residents don't have far to go to find a park: Albuquerque has 361 municipal parks, among the most of any city on a per capita basis, according to our exclusive survey of municipal park departments.
Donuts are 69 percent less popular here than average, according to a comparison of places where they are sold. Albuquerque has the 6th lowest number of donut outlets per capita in our survey.
Albuquerque residents are fanatics about fitness swimming - they do it about 61 percent more than average, the highest overall participation rate among cities in our survey.
Albuquerque city residents are into aerobics - they're 48 percent more likely than average to participate, the 2nd highest rate of any city in our survey.
Albuquerque is the 2nd most popular place in our survey for low-impact aerobic dancing.
Abdominal machine use is very popular in Albuquerque. Locals are 32 percent more likely than average to use an abdominal machine - the 3rd highest rate of any city in our survey.
Albuquerque has the 3rd highest cheerleading participation rate of any city in our survey, 127 percent higher than average.
Albuquerque has the 3rd highest participation rate for rowing machine use among cities in our survey.
Albuquerque residents are 268 percent more likely than average to go cross-country skiing. That's the 3rd highest rate in our survey.
Albuquerque residents are 59 percent more likely than average to go day hiking. That's the 3rd highest participation rate in our survey.
Albuquerque residents are 62 percent more likely than average to go hiking. That's the 3rd highest participation rate in our survey.
Approximately 16.3 percent of Albuquerque residents ride stationary cycles for exercise. That's 24 percent more than average and the 3rd highest rate in our survey.
Approximately 6 percent of Albuquerque residents do Pilates. That's the 3rd highest rate in our survey.
What Isn't
Albuquerque residents rank near the bottom in cardio kickboxing, with a participation rate that's 66 percent below average for cities in our survey - the 2nd lowest participation rate of all cities we surveyed.
Just 6 percent of Albuquerque residents play golf. That's 40 percent less than average and the 2nd lowest rate in our survey.
Albuquerque residents are 23 percent less likely than average to participate in recreational swimming - the 1st lowest in our survey.
Albuquerque residents are 66 percent less likely than average to go trail-running - the 1st lowest rate in our survey.
Albuquerque residents are 70 percent less likely than average to roller skate (the four-wheeled variety). That's the 1st lowest in our survey.
Although other states participate in a CDC-sponsored program to reduce obesity and other chronic diseases, New Mexico doesn't.
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