Derry has been named the worst city in the UK for fitness enthusiasts, according to new research.
Sports nutrition experts at Bulk.com analyzed eight factors they felt contribute to a city being attractive to fitness fanatics and scored the 62 most populated UK cities out of 100 to create their Fitness Index.
The factors analyzed within the index included the number of gyms, healthy restaurants according to TripAdvisor, pools, and CrossFit facilities, as well as hiking, jogging, road cycling, and mountain bike routes relative to the population size of each city.
The 10 worst UK cities for fitness enthusiasts:
Rank State. Fitness Index Score / 100
1. Derry 14.12
2. Bradford 26.46
3. Wolverhampton 28.42
4. Doncaster 30.52
5. Sunderland 34.06
6. Wakefield 34.25
7. Peterborough 34.56
8. Dundee 36.17
9. Birmingham 36.23
10. Southend-on-Sea 38.14
Derry ranked as the worst city for fitness enthusiasts, with a Fitness Index Score of 14.12 out of 100 across the eight examined factors. Derry was found to offer the lowest number of road cycling routes (11), jogging routes (22), and hiking routes (13) per 100,000 residents. It also had no crossfit facilities and low numbers of gyms and pools, with one pool and 26 gyms per 100,000 residents.
Scoring 26.46 out of 100, Bradford ranked as the second-worst UK city for fitness enthusiasts. It was found to offer 10 gyms per 100,000 residents, the fourth-lowest figure of all UK cities. Bradford also offers 23 jogging routes and 23 hiking routes per 100,000 residents, the third-lowest city for hiking routes and the second-lowest city for jogging routes.
Wolverhampton was found to be the third-worst city for fitness enthusiasts in the UK, with a score of 28.42 out of 100. The city has 14 hiking routes per 100,000 residents, the second lowest in the UK. It has no crossfit facilities.
Doncaster is fourth on the list, scoring 30.52 out of 100 across the eight factors. The city has 3.89 healthy restaurants per 100,000 residents, the second-lowest number of healthy restaurants relative to its population of any city in the UK. Doncaster also has 25.27 hiking routes per 100,000 people, ranking fifth-lowest for this factor.
Sunderland ranked as the fifth worst city for fitness enthusiasts in the UK, with a Fitness Index Score of 34.06 out of 100. The city has the second lowest number of pools relative to its population of any city in the UK, with less than one pool per 100,000 residents. It also has 36 hiking routes and 49 road cycling per 100,000 residents, ranking fifth-worst for both factors.
Wakefield ranked sixth, with a Fitness Index Score of 34.25. It has the lowest number of pools per capita of any UK city with 1 pool. It also has 11 gyms per 100,000 residents.
Peterborough ranked seventh with a score of 34.56 out of 100. The city was found to offer two pools, four healthy restaurants, 195 road cycling routes, 13 mountain biking routes, and 10 gyms per 100,000 residents.
With a score of 36.17 out of 100, Dundee ranks as the eighth-worst city for fitness enthusiasts. The city offers 93 road cycling routes, six mountain biking routes, two pools, and six healthy restaurants per 100,000 residents.
Birmingham ranked as the ninth-worst city overall for fitness enthusiasts, scoring 36.23 out of 100. The city has the lowest number of gyms relative to its population, with nine gyms per 100,000 residents. It also has a relatively low number of healthy restaurants, pools and crossfit facilities.
Southend-on-Sea is the tenth-worst UK city for fitness enthusiasts, scoring 38.14 out of 100. The city has two pools and twenty gyms per 100,000 residents. It also has eight mountain biking routes and eighteen healthy restaurants per 100,000 people.
A spokesperson for Bulk.com commented “This data offers a fascinating insight into the UK cities with the lowest number of amenities suited to a healthy lifestyle. It may come as a surprise that Birmingham is on the list of cities least suited to a healthy lifestyle, especially considering its size. However, closer examination reveals that it offers the lowest proportion of gyms to its population size.
“It is important to note that many factors contribute to overall fitness, but having access to a variety of fitness facilities is undoubtedly a great starting point for anyone looking to embark on a fitness journey.
“Taking advantage of the resources available in your city, will enable you to take meaningful steps towards achieving your health and wellness goals.”
On the flip side, these are the ten best UK Cities to be fit:
The 10 best UK cities for fitness enthusiasts:
Rank State Fitness Index Score / 100
1.= Durham 89.68
1.= Salford 89.68
2.Bath 81.49
3.Cambridge 76.99
4. Bristol 71.56
5. Lincoln 69.91
6. Manchester 68.99
7. Nottingham 68.13
8. Hereford 68.05
9. Preston 67.92
10. Exeter 67.86
