Colorado Leads the Pack of Fittest States

Colorado has been shown to lead the nation when it comes to fitness, according to several studies and publications.

Colorado was shown to be the fittest state in the nation by an annual report provided by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  According to the report, Colorado is the only state in the nation with an adult obesity rate under 20%.

In a report made by Mychiller Life which lists the "fittest" states in the nation for the year 2012, Colorado came in first place, followed by Rhode Island and Utah. Historically, areas of the country which have demonstrated the most physically active residents would include the Northeast, the West Coast, Colorado and Minnesota.

In a report from ABC World News Tonight, it is suggested social norms could account for the variations from state to state. "There's evidence to suggest that if people see people outside walking, then that makes them more likely to walk," said Dr. Antronette Yancey, a professor at UCLA who serves on a board supporting first lady Michelle Obama's  "Let's Move" campaign. "If people feel that physical activity is the norm in their peer group, then they're more likely to be physically active," she said.

Western Colorado trainer and 2002 "Mr. Colorado" champion Steve Dingman, agrees with the idea of Colorado's social norms contributing to the state's health status.  "Colorado is a state full of people that don't do things half way. They are extreme in everything. Lots of $10,000 bikes on $500 cars."