By Quin Welch, Building Kentucky
The 2025 American Fitness Index®, an annual report that evaluates America’s 100 largest cities using 35 evidence-based indicators, including food insecurity, air quality and reports of very good or excellent health, shows that Lexington residents’ health is on the rise. The report is published by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and Elevance Health Foundation through its local philanthropic arm – the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation.
“We are proud of the progress Lexington residents have made in becoming healthier,” said Dr. Lori Caloia, Anthem Kentucky Medical Director. “This positive momentum is a testament to our community’s dedication to health and wellness, as well as the efforts of our local government and organizations like the Anthem Foundation to provide resources and opportunities for residents to lead healthy, active lifestyles.”
Now in its 18th year, the Fitness Index provides city leaders with valuable data and insights to help them understand and address the physical, behavioral and social drivers of health, and inspire meaningful change within their communities.
Lexington was ranked the 52nd healthiest city in the country, up an impressive 28 spots from 2023. This improvement makes Lexington one of the most improved cities in the study. Lexington’s focus on improving access to healthy, fresh food combined with its popular parks has undoubtedly played a major role in the city’s health rise.
“We have made investments in parks and trails all over town to give people opportunities to get outside and enjoy healthy exercise,” Mayor Linda Gorton said. “Our residents have more resources to take control of their own health than ever before.”
Dr. Caloia praised Lexington’s efforts to create a healthier city for everyone.
“The Anthem Foundation is working with communities like Lexington to address social drivers of health in our country, including physical activity and the critical issue of food insecurity,” Caloia said. “Since 2021, our parent foundation has awarded more than $30 million to nonprofit organizations nationally addressing food insecurity while improving health outcomes, reaching more than 1.2 million Americans. Our efforts are well received and rewarding, and ACSM is working nationally to extend and enrich lives through the power of movement.”
Additional findings from the 2025 Fitness Index rankings include:
- Lexington has the highest percentage of residents who eat three or more vegetables daily in the nation.
- Lexington has the lowest percentage of residents who report poor physical health in the previous month.
“We celebrate the best efforts of individuals and municipalities to improve overall health and fitness levels,” said ACSM Past-President and Chair of the Fitness Index Advisory Board Stella Volpe, PhD, FACSM, ACSM-CEP. “These efforts are always going to be affected–good or bad–by a broad variety of other factors. This year, pollution from wildfires and legislation addressing food insecurity limited further progress. Regardless, such challenges should never deter us from supporting and expanding healthy lifestyles for all.”
Find more details at americanfitnessindex.org.
