Brownsville, Texas, has been ranked as the least healthy American city to call home.
This is according to a study published Monday by WalletHub, which measured the quality of health care, food, green spaces and the physical condition of its people.
The Gulf Coast city of about 190,000 people scored poorly among the 182 major cities measured, with one of the worst physical fitness and worst diet in the country.
Gulfport, Mississippi, Laredo, Texas, Columbus, Georgia, and Shreveport, Louisiana, rounded out the five worst performers.
Brownsville, Texas, scored poorly due to one of the worst local diets in the country.
Researchers Ranked a City Based on Diets and How Much Fast Food Residents Ate
Health and fitness experts say this is important because life expectancy has taken a hit in the US in recent years.
Life expectancy increased to 77.5 years on average in 2022, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But that figure is still below its high of 78.9 years from a decade ago, before the pandemic.
Life expectancy in the United States also lags behind that of other wealthy countries.
Jia Yu, an economist at Southern Connecticut State University, said living in some cities made it easier for people to live healthy lives.
“A city that is affordable in housing, healthcare and daily expenses allows for a comfortable standard of living,” Yu said.
“It can reduce financial stress and lead to overall health and well-being.”
But, he added, the key to staying fit and healthy was “self-discipline, especially on a tight budget.”
Economist Jia Yu says ‘self-discipline’ is vital to keeping health under control
“From my personal experience, monitoring my diet and exercise routine regularly will be a big help,” he said.
“There are tons of books, apps, and social media influencers talking about healthy lifestyles for free.”
For its study, WalletHub ranked cities based on the quality of their health care, food, fitness levels, and number of nearby green spaces and hiking trails.
The researchers collected data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the CDC, Yelp and other sources.
Cities with lots of farmers markets, bike paths, subsidized healthcare systems and cheap gyms tended to get higher scores.
The researchers ranked cities based on their average life expectancy, perhaps the most important measure of healthy living.
Those with lots of fast food outlets, high healthcare costs and fewer parks tended to score worse.
Most of the lowest-scoring cities were located throughout the South.
The researchers also located the healthiest cities in the United States.
San Francisco came out on top thanks to its healthy restaurants, spacious parks and the lowest obesity rates in the country.
Honolulu, Seattle, San Diego and Washington DC rounded out the five healthiest cities.
Yu says city officials can play a role in the health of residents.
They should “improve access to health care for all residents, including low-income families and uninsured groups,” he said.