Minneapolis is in the most heart-friendly area of the nation for women. According to a study by the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement and Sperling’s BestPlaces, the Minneapolis Saint Paul metro area ranked at the top in the nation. Rankings weighed the heart-friendly benefits cities offer and the personal lifestyle choices of their residents, including the incidence of obesity, smoking rates and other environmental risk factors that influence heart disease. The Minneapolis Saint Paul metro area had the lowest rate of cardiac mortality for women, low hypertension rates and the highest exercise rates.
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States, but it is preventable. People can lower their risks by making smart lifestyle choices. Naturally, the more opportunities an area provides, the healthier its residents will be. Minneapolis offers many wonderful parks and recreation areas, it is known as one of the most bike-friendly areas in the country and it has been recognized for its number of exercise facilities and year-round recreational activities. Finally, residents also have the opportunity to easily purchase heart-healthy produce at the many farmers markets across the city and the metro area.
For a complete list of the most and least heart-friendly metro areas and the methodology used in the ranking, visit www.goredforwomen.org/news_items.aspx.
May 20, 2008