Where Does New Jersey Rank for Fitness?

Beach season is fast approaching! Just how in shape are we in the Garden State?

A new study by Totalshape.com has found that New Jersey is the 18th fittest state in America.

Princeton residents, according to the survey, are the most svelte, ranking first in the state. Allentown and Ocean City are the fittest metropolitan places in New Jersey, with Bridgeton dead last.

“City life takes a toll on one’s health and it is understandably easier to reach for the junk snacks or opt for quick meals or fast food. If losing weight is your objective, the secret is not to compare yourself to others, but, instead, go to your cupboard and start reading the labels. You may be surprised how much sugar is in processed foods, especially those containing low or no fat,” as spokeperson for Total Shape said. “And since diet and exercise are just as important for one’s health, one starting point to remember is that the least amount of physical activity can actually improve your quality of life.”

Princeton is the fittest metropolitan place in New Jersey. 93% of its adult population describe their state of health as either “excellent”, “very good”, or “good”. Meanwhile, 86.3% of Princeton residents undertake some measure of physical activity in their spare time, whereas 23.4% are still classed as obese. This places Princeton at number 5 in the US for overall fitness, the survey reports.

Allentown is the second fittest place in metropolitan New Jersey and number 10 in America. 92% of those living here would rate their health positively. 84.1% dedicate at least some of their leisure time to exercising, while obesity affects 20.5% of the population.

The fittest place of all metropolitan areas in America is Newton, Massachusetts, with near-perfect scores in all three categories. Reading, Pennsylvania, is the absolute worst place in America for fitness, where almost half the population is obese and two in five residents do not exercise or make any physical effort in their leisure time.

With 26.8% obese and 84.2% physically active, Ocean City residents are the third fittest people in New Jersey and #19 in America. 91.3% describe their health status as “good”, “very good” or “excellent”.

43% of Bridgeton residents are obese and 28.1% rate their own health as “poor” or “fair”. 41.1% generally do not undertake any physical activity, such as walking, gardening, golf or other forms of exercising, outside their work either. Bridgeton is thus the least fit place in New Jersey and #566 in the US.