Cape Town - It’s official: Cape Town is the fittest city in South Africa in terms of public transport use and the number of health facilities available to its residents.
In a study by Discovery Health and UCT – dubbed the Vitality Fittest City Index – the city’s public transport network and its number of sports and recreational facilities, gave it the edge over Joburg, Durban, Pretoria and Port Elizabeth.
The study, which looked at various factors that contribute to fitness and health – including participation in physical activity, factors related to transport and availability of physical activity-related facilities, and personal health indicators – ranked Cape Town as the most active.
Cape Town scored 75 out of 100 on the use of public transport, which encourages people to walk to and from taxi and bus ranks and train stations.
Durban was the second least dependent on private cars, scoring 68.
On physical activity-related facilities, Cape Town scored 66 compared to Joburg’s 50.
But while Cape Town scored highest in terms of access to facilities, the city ranked lowest – 41 out of 100 – on personal health indicators that looked at body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Durban is the healthiest city at 51, followed by Joburg at 47 and Port Elizabeth at 46.
Cape Town was second on self-reported physical activity, scoring 57.
Dr Craig Nossel, Discovery Vitality head of wellness, said Cape Town’s urban infrastructure, including the new dedicated cycle routes, the MyCiTi bus rapid transit system and the greatest number of gyms, fitness facilities and parks, including the outdoor gyms such as the one at the Sea Point promenade, were seen as some of the main reasons that encouraged Capetonians to exercise. - Cape Argus