Two new studies from the Fairbanks School of Public Health on Indiana University’s Indianapolis campus examined the link between health behaviors, the built environment, and the health status of America’s largest cities.
Using data from the American Fitness Index spanning from 2018 to 2022, the researchers determined that the maximum percentage of residents with good health status was 70 percent. The American Fitness Index is an American College of Sports Medicine initiative that quantitatively measures the overall health and fitness level of the 100 largest cities by population in the United States.
“Fitness and sports are vital parts of public health and well-being,” said lead author Jiali Han, a professor and chair of the Department of Epidemiology in the Fairbanks School of Public Health. “Our research underscores the pivotal role of fitness and health behaviors in shaping the health outcomes of entire communities. By understanding the association between individual choices and community health, policymakers and public health officials can develop targeted interventions to promote healthier lifestyles and improve overall population health.”
The researchers explored various fitness and health behaviors and their correlation with good health status among residents. They further examined how the built environment affected health and how it could be used to improve health behaviors.