In 2018, 6,227 pedestrian fatalities occurred in the United States, the highest number in nearly three decades and a four percent increase from 2017 according to a report earlier this year from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). “While we have made progress reducing fatalities among many other road users in the past decade, pedestrian …
Halloween Safety Tips
Halloween can be a fun holiday for families if you follow these safety tips to keep trick-or-treaters and party goers safe at night! Be Safe • There is safety in numbers. Travel in pairs or groups. • Use crosswalks and be predictable. Walk on the left side (against traffic) and bike on the right side …
Supporting Local Communities in the Fight Against Food Insecurity
The American Fitness Index serves as a tool and resource for community stakeholders to address conditions in the environments that negatively affect a person’s overall health and identifies target areas to create healthier, more active communities. Eliminating food insecurity is a critical factor in improving the overall health and well-being of individuals in the communities …
Seasonal shopping at your local farmers market
Eating a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables is the ideal way to get the necessary vitamins and minerals that your body needs. Planning meals around food that is in-season is a great way to stay healthy and keep variety in your diet! Now that you know eating seasonally has great health benefits, how …
Air Quality and Outdoor Exercise
There is incontrovertible evidence linking poor air quality to adverse health outcomes. This is especially true for people with pre-existing conditions such as heart disease, stroke, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, healthy people are at risk too. Exposure to air pollution has been linked to a higher risk of developing asthma, and recent …
Partnership Between American Fitness Index and Anthem Foundation is Twelve Years Strong
The Anthem Foundation is embedded in communities across the country where it supports programs that build awareness about the importance of active lifestyles and healthy behaviors. One of the many ways we are helping to increase awareness and improve overall health is through our partnership with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Since 2006, …
Changes in the 2019 ACSM American Fitness Index: What Impact Will They Have?
Since the creation of the ACSM American Fitness Index®, the data team constantly looks for ways to improve the rankings. Also, as data sources change the information they gather, we must make changes in the indicators that are used. Both improvements and data source changes took effect as we prepared the 2019 Fitness Index rankings. …
From 50 to 100: Lessons Learned from the Expansion of the American Fitness Index
Two criticisms of the first decade of the ACSM American Fitness Index®and its annual report were that it was limited to only the 50 most populated cities in the USA and that the entire metropolitan area was counted among the data. These two observations had some merit. Cities protested that a certain suburb was not …
American Fitness Index: 10+ Years of Improving Community Health
The American College of Sports Medicine launched the American Fitness Index (Fitness Index) in 2008. The Fitness Index ranks the 100 largest cities in the United States according to variables that reflect and affect physical activity, physical fitness, health and quality of life of community members. Public health databases serve to develop the Fitness Index …
Five Frequently Asked Questions About the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd Edition
In 2008, the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) issued the federal government’s first-ever Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (Guidelines) to help Americans understand the types and amounts of physical activity that offer important health benefits. Given the extensive amount of new information available over the past decade, DHHS released the second edition …