Denver climbs to No. 5 in national fitness rankings

• Denver moved up two spots from its 2024 ranking, which ACSM says it compiles to measure progress and encourage city officials to make policy decisions.

Between the lines: The city's rise reflects improved health metrics, but comes with a warning about environmental concerns.

Threat level: The report says three of its 35 indicators — air quality, food insecurity and reports of excellent or very good health — dipped overall nationwide.

Zoom in: Poor air quality, a persistent concern in Denver, stemmed from drought and wildfires — major and consistent threats in Colorado.

• Meanwhile, smoking rates have dropped, while funding for parks spiked — both positive health indicators.

Context: The index shows a nine-point jump on average for people meeting aerobic activity guidelines — things like hiking, running and dancing — up to 59.9% nationwide.

Zoom out: Other Colorado cities cracking ACSM's top 100 include Aurora (27) and Colorado Springs (37).

• Arlington, Virginia, took the No. 1 spot on this year's list.