Chicago ranks No. 9 healthiest big U.S. city
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The home of deep dish and the Chicago dog is actually quite healthy compared to other large cities, cracking the top 10.
Why it matters: The study from Mindbody, a fitness, beauty and wellness company, ranked the most populous cities in the U.S. to help determine where residents were prioritizing health and finding balance, factors that can affect overall happiness.
Zoom in: Chicago came in at No. 9, earning high marks for sleep hygiene and strong personal relationships.
- Chicagoans are the most likely in the country (41%) to get a solid seven hours each night.
- 68% say they have strong relationships with friends and family.
- Orlando came in No. 1, followed by New York and Los Angeles.
How it works: Mindbody surveyed 2,557 adults ages 18-65 across the 25 most populous cities in the country, examining everything from exercise and sleep habits to stress, community connection and self-care.
Zoom out: In a separate report released last week by the United Health Foundation that ranks states, Illinois showed some encouraging signs for overall health, Axios' Mike Allen reports.
- Illinois is ranked No. 28, only behind Iowa (17) and Minnesota (6) in the Midwest.
State of play: America's Health Rankings synthesize 99 measures of health and well-being, drawn from 31 data sources, to produce a "comprehensive portrait of health at both the national and state levels."
- Illinois reported a low prevalence of mental health distress, with 13% of adults who reported their mental health was not good 14 or more days in the past 30 days.
- Residents don't smoke as much as in most other states, but excessive drinking is a problem. In fact, only 10 states are worse.
- Air pollution, housing with lead risk and segregation had the largest negative impact on Illinois' ranking.
Go deeper: Explore the rankings