A new report positions Porto as one of the best cities in the world for those looking for a healthy lifestyle. Created by Healthnews, a website dedicated to disseminating information on the health sector, the city in the north of Portugal is in fourth place in the ranking, just behind Amsterdam, Brussels and Boston.
To determine the healthiest cities to live in, researchers evaluated 40 cities around the world based on ten metrics, which included happiness levels, happiness levels, average physical activity, hours of sunshine, air quality, average work week and the cost of gym memberships, among others. They assigned weighted scores to each metric and combined them to give each city a total score out of 100. This total score helped rank the cities, identifying the best cities for healthy living.
“Vibrant Porto also has qualities that make it a top choice for healthy living. Its coastal location guarantees many opportunities for outdoor activities, from walks along the Douro River to hikes in nearby natural parks. The city offers a diet rich in fresh seafood, vegetables and olive oil, helping to reduce rates of heart disease and promote general well-being”, reads the Best Cities in the World to Live for Your Health report.
For researchers, Porto also benefits from “a moderate climate with 2468 hours of sunshine per year, encouraging outdoor exercise throughout the year, with an average of 5.9 hours per week. It has a lower cost of living compared to other cities, making healthy eating options and sports facilities more accessible. A monthly fitness gym membership costs just $39.46.”
Amsterdam, the city that comes first, is recognized “for its cycling culture with 63% of its residents cycling daily”. “The average number of hours spent on physical activity per week in Amsterdam is double the global average, at 12.8 hours. Located in the Netherlands, the 6th happiest country in the world, the capital has obesity levels of just 15.05%, almost 10% below London (26.94%)”, says the report released this Wednesday. The capital of the Netherlands is still the city with the lowest average weekly working hours, at just 30 hours.
