Tampa Among America's Top 20 Healthiest Cities

TAMPA, FL -- If you are one of those people who uses the stairs instead of the elevator, park in the back of the parking lot and walk the distance to the grocery store and spend your weekends exploring the outdoors, you're in good company.

It's people like you who have helped Tampa earn its status as one of America's healthiest cities.

The Travel Channel recently ranks cities based on the American Fitness Index's annual report that compares large cities for fit and active lifestyles.

Tampa earned a ranking of 19 on the list of the top 20 cities in America.

While Tampa's ranking is near the bottom of the list of 20 cities, keep in mind that The Travel Channel looked at 80 other big cities that didn't make the list.

The network said Tampa has a number of factors that help keep its residents healthy. Top among them is the weather. While residents of northern cities huddle in their homes during the winter, Tampa mild climate allows for outdoor activities throughout the year.

The Travel Channel also credited Tampa's abundance of beaches, lakes, rivers and swimming pools that provide opportunities for swimming, rowing, water skiing, canoeing, diving, surfing and other water sports.

Tampa also received high marks for its abundance of parks, walking trails and sports fields.

But the ability to exercise year-round isn't the only health factor. Tampa earned kudos for its many farmer's markets and health stores that emphasize eating fresh, vitamin-loaded locally grown produce. Healthy eating is as simple as walking into your own back yard and plucking an orange or tangelo from your own citrus tree.

Here is a complete list of the top 20 cities:

20. Baltimore

19. Tampa

18. New York

17. Atlanta

16. Los Angeles

15. Chicago

14. Raleigh, North Carolina

13. Hartford, Connecticut

12. Austin, Texas

11. Sacramento, California

10. San Diego

9. Salt Lake City

8. Portland, Oregon

7. Denver

6. Boston

5. San Jose, California

4. Seattle

3. San Francisco

2. Washington, D.C.

1. Minneapolis-St. Paul

Image via City of Tampa

(For more local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)