In a highly regarded statistical snapshot, a large organization of sports medicine and exercise science experts has crowned the Twin Cities region as the most physically fit in the nation.
This region "finished on top despite the challenges of being a Northern state with hard winters," the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) said in its announcement Monday of its 10th annual American Fit Index.
Washington, D.C., had been the most fit region for the past three years until the honor was wrestled away this time by the Twin Cities, last year's runner-up. Rounding out the top five: San Francisco-Oakland, Seattle-Tacoma and San Jose, Calif.
Mark Blegen, an exercise physiologist and associate dean at St. Catherine University's School of Health in St. Paul, said the index is to community health and well-being what the Oscars are to Hollywood.
In the index's 10 years, the Twin Cities and the nation's capital have been going head-to-head for the No. 1 spot, he said, and the rivals are sweating even harder in the battle for supremacy.
Blegen said he was on a conference call Tuesday morning to discuss the rankings with his counterpart in Washington, D.C.
"She said, 'This is all out war. We're going to take this back,' " Blegen said.
Blegen's response: " 'Bring it.' "
