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Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
10,750 posts, read 23,822,981 times
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There is certainly no denying that there seems to be a big correlation in the top 10 listed being among the most well educated metros in the US, along with more focus on healthy living.
In Seattle, everyone shops organically, and we demonize fast food restaurants and unhealthy low quality chain restaurants. The tofu, kale, almond milk, almond butter, and flax seeds are always sold out from the shelf of the super market. And most people avoid anything prepackaged and processed.
Being hyper informed about what you eat here is possibly THE most important thing for Seattleites.
There is certainly no denying that there seems to be a big correlation in the top 10 listed being among the most well educated metros in the US, along with more focus on healthy living.
In Seattle, everyone shops organically, and we demonize fast food restaurants and unhealthy low quality chain restaurants. The tofu, kale, almond milk, almond butter, and flax seeds are always sold out from the shelf of the super market. And most people avoid anything prepackaged and processed.
Being hyper informed about what you eat here is possibly THE most important thing for Seattleites.
Here in Minneapolis, we don't consume food unless it comes with a certified report outlining the exact origins of its ingredients, including the the contact info of the local farmer and a photo of the animal in its free-range environment (if applicable). Our supermarkets only sell products grown within five miles of the store, and everything is shipped via bicycle courier because Minneapolitans are ultra-conscious of our carbon footprints. Personally, I only eat foods that can be grown or ethically raised in my own apartment window.
Education, sure, but racial make-up is also a large correlation as well.
Really, because the Washington D.C., San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego and Boston metros are some of the most diverse in the country/world? I see no correlation between the diversity of these places and their scores. Geographically though, 7 of the top 10 are located in the West.
Perhaps the average black man might be less healthy/fit than the average white man in many of these metros, for various reasons, but is it possible that the average black man from D.C. is healthier and more fit than the average black man from Birmingham, AL. If so, then what these cities provide in terms of health amenities, hospitals and access parks, trails and outdoor recreation is probably much more of a factor, than the racial composition of those metros.
Otherwise, why do so many California cities with large Latino and Asian populations along with whites do well, but Texan metros with similar compositions (albeit, a bit less Asian and a little more black), with the exception of Austin (which is usually compared to Portland, Denver and Minneapolis anyways) are much more behind?
For comparison's sake:
#4 Denver's racial compostion
52.2% White
10.2% Black
3.4% Asian
31.8% Hispanic/Latino
#10 Sacramento
31.9% White
12.8% Black
20.9% Asian
27% Hispanic/Latino
5.4% Mix
#35 Houston
25.9% White
22.7% Black
5.5% Asian
44.4% Hispanic
#38 Dallas
28.6% White
23.4% Black
2.5% Asian
43.9% Hispanic
It's just too varied too make any real conclusions. I do think education has more to do with it, and that those cities (especially D.C. and the rest of the top 10) tend to attract young and educated folks of all backgrounds (except for Portland, mostly white folk migrate there, haha)
What's interesting is that of the largest U.S. metro areas, only D.C. made the top 10. It could be argued that well educated mid-size cities do a better job (overall) at maintaining a fit, healthy populace.
Outside of DC area, it's definitely a correlation in terms of % of blacks. Then again, there's a pull in terms of poverty in general, but "southern cooking" (which directly contributes to the fattest states in the country) also contributes to the fattest areas of many major cities. I guess I was just afraid to spell it out that specifically, but it'd be entirely disengenuous to say that there isn't a racial correlation.
Outside of DC area, it's definitely a correlation in terms of % of blacks. Then again, there's a pull in terms of poverty in general, but "southern cooking" (which directly contributes to the fattest states in the country) also contributes to the fattest areas of many major cities. I guess I was just afraid to spell it out that specifically, but it'd be entirely disengenuous to say that there isn't a racial correlation.
How about Atlanta though? It's more than 50% black, and it does decently well (#16)? From what I've heard of Atlanta, it tends to draw in a lot of educated black folk.
Now that you mention southern cooking, I should note that variety of Mexican (Tejano?) cuisine found in Texas tends to be dairy (cheese) and red meat heavy. Whereas the one in California is much lighter, with veggies and fish being much more prominent. Diet would obviously have a huge part in this, and Southern Cooking (the little I've had) is more fried. I can only imagine the obesity rates in those parts. Texas has it worse as it is the confluence of the fried southern cuisine and lard and dairy heavy Mexican cuisine.
I wonder if Austin is partly an exception to this trend due to the number of outsiders that call it home.
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