An interesting report came out today ranking cities that are the most (and least) heart healthy for women. The top 3 cities for women’s heart health are:
- Minneapolis
- Washington DC
- San Francisco
The 3 worst cities for women’s heart health are:
- Nashville, TN
- St.Louis
- Detroit
"It’s fair to say that if you live in the least heart-healthy cities, there’s a chance that you’ll have a high (likelihood) of heart disease and stroke and may have a shortened lifespan," said Dr. Jennifer Mieres, a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association and director of nuclear cardiology at the New York University School of Medicine.
The review, which also looked at factors like stress levels and the numbers of people who commute by bicycle or on foot, encompassed the 200 largest metropolitan areas in the country.
The most heart-friendly metro areas for women are:
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Minn.
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, District of Columbia
- San Francisco-San Jose-Oakland, Calif.
- Denver-Aurora, Colo.
- Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, Mass.
- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Wash.
- Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, Ore.
- San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, Calif.
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif.
- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz.
Minneapolis-St. Paul, Boston and Phoenix have the lowest heart-disease mortality rates for women, while women in San Francisco, Denver and Los Angeles are the thinnest.
Women in San Francisco, San Diego and Washington, D.C., are the healthiest eaters, and those in Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Francisco smoke the least.
The least-friendly metropolitan areas for women are:
- Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro, Tenn.
- St. Louis, Mo.
- Detroit-Warren-Livonia, Mich.
- Pittsburgh, Pa.
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
- Columbus, Ohio
- Cincinnati-Middletown, Ohio
- Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev.
- Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, Ohio
- Indianapolis, Ind.
The researchers reported that women in Cleveland, Columbus, Ohio, and San Antonio, Texas, are among the most overweight in the country.
Women smoke the most in Cincinnati, Nashville and Indianapolis, while they eat the least healthy food in St. Louis, Kansas City, Kan., and Milwaukee.
Source: HealthDay
I wonder what the same type of report would find if they looked at rural areas instead of metropolitan. Wonder what kind of difference they’d find then.
Good article!
… going to eat a nice big salad.
Love your new picture at the top! The lemons look scrumptious!
I’m not impressed with this study’s analysis. I don’t think the researchers know much about any of these cities.
St. Louis, Detroit…. they have a lot of poor people. Who don’t eat well. I know these cities, and it’s a fact. St. Louis and Nashville both have large teaching hospitals (Washington University and Vanderbilt). Whether that affects the health habits of a whole urban area….. seems to overstate their impact and mission. St. Louis and Nashville also have many months of insufferably hot and humid weather that discourages exercise.
Now Minneapolis/St. Paul is really interesting. Of course it has the distinctive Scandinavian/Irish culture, earnest do-gooders who deserve the term “Minnesota nice.” It also has a brutal continental climate with long, cold and snowy winters without the moderating effects of the Great Lakes. So it would seem more people there are at the gym or on the Nordic track — quite possibly a result of its distinctive regional culture. And they’re not exactly in a Garden of Eden for fresh produce, nor are they Californian in their low-carb eating habits.
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Thanks for the sharing the survey! Now, I know the place where healthy women live.
Oh, that figures… I live near the bad heart places….. :-/ Its all that greasy friend country cookin…
Kirk – good point! I think it would depend on the state. For instance your state Vermont ranks as one of the healthiest in the nation. Some of the unhealthiest are in the south.
Jennifer – thanks
I get tired of the same one up there so try to change it around fairly often.
Mary – interesting observations. I totally agree any inner city poor we are going to find people with inadequate health care, unhealthy diets and lack of knowledge in basic nutrition. Yet 50 miles away in the suburbs it’s the exact opposite.
Martin – LOL you looking for a healthy woman?
Julie – oh yea, greasy fried is not good. Have most of the restaurants down there switched over to healthier cooking oils yet?
There are many reasons that people have heart disease, sometimes it is caused by childhood sickness, (reaumatic fever) spelled wrong of course, then the heart disease is dorment for many years then all of a sudden one has a heartattack , and of course in DC they would have the best of the best doctors living there, as that is the home of the President . I am not sure it is all where you live, how do they explain why babies are born with heart disease, they have never even had a chance to have a healthy life style ( although I do think one should live a healthy life style don’t get me wrong there )
(kirk) thanks for the URL to your wifes store, very interesting.
As sad as this sounds, Elaine, I honestly don’t know… I’m guessing that would be a no, but I couldn’t say for sure… :-/
I wonder why Minneapolis?
I really like ur blog and material here attract my attention
Elaine,
Since we are mentioning the lovely features of your site, I would like to say how much I enjoy the added information, trivia, and thoughtful quotes, at the right side of your page!
The study shows the facts of where heart disease most affects certain communities. We are left to consider why it is that way.
Looking at the variety of thoughtful comments, opinions, and possible considerations for what influenced the outcome of the study was as insightful as the study itself.
Having already factored in those opinions I would like to add another consideration that has not been mentioned:
Being poor, or having less, does not necessarily prevent people from working hard or keeping in shape. We see a multitude of successful people, that when given opportunity, or making their own, sacrifice, work hard, work together, and achieve much.
Cultural expectations seem to be a contributing factor in how we think, and what we expect from ourselves, our communities, and our governments.
Thinking that everyone else OWES us could certainly affect our state of mind, personal expectations, health, attitude towards others, and feelings of inadequacy that can lead to hopelessness.
Washington D.C. has horribly humid weather from early Summer, to deep into Fall, with people still walking, jogging, and riding bicycles, except for maybe the highest air quality alert days.
Having health issues does hinder being able to function well in humidity. Taking care of ourselves, keeping hydrated, being wise about activity on poor air quality days, getting control of our lives, and habits, can reap positive results.
As someone that has health issues, and has lived in humid and dry climates, I need to take care of my self regardless.
Elaine…one of the joys of reading your blogs is how you so often provide helpful information that can contribute to quality of life.
Love and hugs,
Beth
I love this picture.I know the place where healthy women live. i like this blog. this blog is really attractive.