Khushboo Malhotra
Health and fitness is a big part of peoples lives, and with such a vast range in activities, classes and sports in our day and age, there is something for everyone to get their teeth into Being healthy and fit isn’t a fad or trend, and it is more that what you just eat; it’s a lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle not only changes your body, it also helps and changes your mind, your attitude and your mood; and inclining you towards positive approach.
But ever wondered how your surrounding are contributing into it? How much does the city you are living in impacts your health, your lifestyle and what is readily available to you?
Your Body is Your Priceless Possession,
Better Look After and Treasure It!
Health and fitness is a popular topic in the UK considering sales of fitness technology soaring over the last few years and mental health and well-being, being a more prominent topic than ever. Being healthy is more than just eating well and exercising regularly, it requires a permanent lifestyle and mindset change. It is important that you are considering all aspects of life in a way that positively impacts your mind and body. According to statistics, Brits, in fact, have purchased over four million fitness bands and smartwatches in 2017 alone which is quite an impressive figure. But as our spending on fitness tech increases, are our lifestyles any healthier? And where in the UK is the best place to live to help you live the healthiest lifestyle possible?
While looking at the best cities across the UK for health and wellness, it is far more than just accounting for the number of gyms or spas they have. There are many other important factors we should consider when it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle. Green space for some fresh air and quality ‘me time’, healthy food shops, museums to stimulate our brains and someone to talk to when things get a little tough are all of equal importance while considering our overall well-being. A research study has analysed the best cities across the UK for health and wellness, the facilities of 30 cities across the UK, taking into account gyms and fitness centers, green space, spas and vegan restaurants, to show which cities are the best to live in for leading a healthy lifestyle.
The UK’s top ten cities for health and wellness can be found below in the table:
| Rank | City Name | Overall Score (Out of 100) |
| 1 | Portsmouth | 71 |
| 2 | Norwich | 56 |
| 3 | Nottingham | 52 |
| 4 | Oxford | 50 |
| 5 | Southampton | 50 |
| 6 | Leicester | 48 |
| 7 | Manchester | 48 |
| 8 | London | 47 |
| 9 | Liverpool | 43 |
| 10 | Plymouth | 43 |
Source: Research study conducted by Protectivity Insurance, analyzing 30 of the UK’s most populated cities and searched sources like TripAdvisor and Yelp to discover the number of Parks, Museums, Gym and Fitness Centres, Spas, etc in each location.
Portsmouth surprisingly comes out on the top of the list as the UK’s healthiest city to live in with an overall score of 71. Although Portsmouth may be smaller in size compared to other cities across the UK, with only an area of 40 km sq, it is exactly this that sees this seaside city top the chart as the number one city for health and wellness. Portsmouth has the most to give to its population of 853,000, when it comes to a healthy lifestyle. With 4 gyms, 3 yoga studios, 5 health food shops and a staggering 134 vegan option restaurants across its small area, there really is a lot to offer when it comes to food and fitness. Additionally, when it comes to looking after our minds Portsmouth has 56 professional therapists to confide in, 21 museums to dabble in some culture and 6 parks across the city for some time to yourself and fresh air, and with this city being right by the sea, the fresh air doesn’t get much better than that.
Norwich and Oxford are another example of smaller cities that despite their size are delivering the goods when it comes to health and wellness. Norwich comes in at second place with 17 spas for some well deserved relaxation time and 14 beautiful parks to stretch your legs across its 52.6 km sq. Oxford, the beautiful city which revolves around its prestigious university, follows closely behind in fourth place. This smaller city really packs a punch when it comes to what they have to offer with 190 vegan option restaurants to get your teeth into and 20 museums to get your dose of culture.
Manchester was voted as the best city to live in by the Global Livability Index in 2018, but where does it rank when it comes to health and wellness specifically? Well, Manchester has made it into the top ten at a very respectable seventh, as one of the bigger cities out of the 30 analysed this is an impressive result. The city hosts a wealth of spas, 41 to be exact, alongside a staggering 434 vegan options restaurants.
And the capital city London, the biggest of the cities analysed, has made it into the top ten securing its position at number eight. With the entirety of London spanning across a vast 1,572 km sq, it may come as no surprise that it hosts a huge number of facilities for health and wellness with 669 spas, 81 gyms, 57 yoga and pilates studios, 1678 therapists and 401 museums.
It’s fantastic to see that the capital city has made it into the top ten of the best UK cities for health and wellness, but it’s equally great to see some of the UK’s smaller cities topping the list.
Now, more than ever people are getting on board with being fit and healthy and also trying to remove any stigma surrounding mental health, so it’s great to see these cities are doing all they can to help their residents live the healthiest lifestyle possible, both mentally and physically.
What do you think of the importance of adopting a good healthy lifestyle in today’s world? How do you think your city and surroundings are impacting to it? Also, what is your opinion on mental health? Do you think that it is as important as physical fitness? Tell us what you think in the comments section down below or you can also tweet to use at @fuzzable
