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Health
Healthy Dose
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Health
News Feature
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Health
Healthy Dose
Looking for the fountain of youth? So was Ponce de Leon, and all he found was Florida—the most geriatric state in the nation. Had he set his sights on Salt Lake City, San Francisco or Austin, he might have had better luck. Those are the three cities where, according to a new RealAge study, people live the longest and feel their youngest.
While much of the nation is crippled by soaring obesity rates, residents in Austin, San Francisco and Salt Lake City are bucking the trend by living so healthfully that they've effectively been able to turn back the clock – no time machine required.
The RealAge study analyzed data from the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. to rank those cities that are the best -- and worst -- at pushing back Father Time. (The site also published a full ranking of the best and worst cities for staying young.) You may remember the RealAge test – a health calculator that assesses just how young or old you are biologically, compared to your actual chronological age. (An updated version of the test was recently released.) Since it launched, over 27 million people have taken it. That’s a huge population sample. This study analyzed the test results based on where people live to determine which cities' residents are living the most health-conscious lifestyles – and thus, living “the youngest.”
Their analysis even goes one step further to suggest that where you live could impact your longevity. If that’s the case, and you value your youth, you may want to steer clear of Knoxville, Nashville and Greensboro/Winston-Salem, which ranked the worst in their study with habits so unhealthy -- think smoking too much and sleeping and exercising too little -- that you might turn gray just thinking about relocating there.
We jest, of course. But studies beyond this one do suggest that we model our health habits after our friends’. After all, who hasn’t been lured away from the gym by friends cajoling us to grab coffee and pastries instead? Likewise, if the only restaurants in your neighborhood are Grease King and Fried Food-a-Go-Go, guess where you’re more than likely to find yourself dining? Research even shows that walkable communities make people more active. That’s why, when it comes to your health, you should choose your neighborhood, your friends – and, perhaps, even your city -- wisely.
“If you live in one of the 10 oldest cities, take this as the alarm on your body's aging clock going off! It's never too late for a fresh start,” said Keith Roach, MD, chief medical officer of RealAge, in a written statement (not to be alarmist or anything).
So what are the healthiest cities in the nation doing right? Test-takers from Salt Lake City, which earned the top spot, love working out. Show-offs. Guess they’ll never know the guilt of choosing a cheese Danish over the elliptical trainer. They also have low smoking rates.
Half of the places on the top 10 list of youngest cities are on the Western side of the country. “Maybe it’s the weather, maybe it’s the mountains, but Western cities have adopted active lifestyles that can slow down the aging process,” says Dr. Roach.
Of course, you don’t have to pack up your family and move across the country to start living a younger life. Stamping out cigarettes, controlling your blood pressure and getting plenty of sleep and exercise will help you turn back the clock, wherever you live.
I’m still working on the exercise part. (Hey, three out of four isn’t too bad.) But at least, living in New York City – lucky number 13 on the list – I log a few miles of walking every day. Still, I know it doesn’t amount to the 10,000 steps a day (about five miles) recommended for health and weight loss. And I feel it. I’ve been chained to my desk every day for the past month, weekends included, and I know all this sitting business is taking its toll. I’m actually beginning to feel like a creaky old lady. (Florida, here I come!) Fortunately, according to the RealAge test, I can start reversing the process and make myself three and a half years younger just by hitting the gym. Guess it’s time to drop the Danish and get myself to a yoga class already. Anyone care to join me?
