With 2022 now here, and many of us looking to start fresh. Living a long and healthy life is highly influenced by environmental factors, such as diet and lifestyle.
A study has confirmed the impact of five lifestyle habits, such as smoking, physical activity, alcohol intake, body weight, and diet, on both total life expectancy and chronic diseases. To determine the best places to lead a healthy and happy lifestyle, Lenstore has analysed 44 global cities across 10 metrics ranging from sunshine hours to the average cost of a gym membership.
Vienna
Known for its culture surrounding artwork, music and architecture, the Austrian capital provides the perfect place to live a healthy lifestyle. With 1,884 hours of sunshine each year, a cost of a water bottle coming in at an affordable £0.58 and sitting as the ninth happiest country of the locations analysed, Vienna comes out on top as the place to live your best healthy life.
Dubai
Dubai experiences a staggering 3,509 hours of sunshine per year, which is the second-highest, with Cairo ranking first, attracting tourists to the famous beaches and sand dunes. The city isn’t just perfect for those in need of some Vitamin D and want to relax, with the city having almost 2,000 (1,889) outdoor activities for active lovers. These outdoor perks outweigh the high cost of a monthly gym membership of £55.57, and if you like the heat, this is the place for you.
Copenhagen
Known as one of the happiest cities in the world (ranking second, beaten only by Helsinki in our research), the Danish capital moves up two rankings from our 2021 healthy cities report, now sitting at third. Copenhagen boasts the third lowest annual working hours, only behind Frankfurt and Berlin, with 1,346 hours worked each year (25.8 hours/week). Breathing clean air also comes easy in Copenhagen as it has the fifth lowest pollution index of any city analysed, the perfect place for any outdoor exercise.
Frankfurt
When looking at the total number of hours worked per year, Frankfurt comes in joint first as the city with the best work-life balance at 1,332 hours, which is just over 25 hours worked each week. The benefits of these lower working hours also reflect in Frankfurt’s high happiness score of 7.3/10.
Amsterdam
The Dutch canal capital closes the top five cities to live a healthy lifestyle, despite dropping from first place in the 2021 report. Though Amsterdam may have come down in the rankings it still holds the fifth position for its happiness ranking (7.5/10). It also has the sixth-lowest levels of obesity in Europe with 20.4% of its population, beaten only by the likes of Geneva, Zurich and Milan. With a life expectancy of almost 82 years, Amsterdam is another great city to relocate to live a healthy and happy life.
Helsinki
Ranking as the happiest city of all locations, Helsinki also has the lowest pollution levels with a score of 13.2/100. In addition, the Finnish capital ranks fourth for the lowest number of takeaway restaurants, meaning you’re less likely to be tempted by unhealthy foods. With the happiest citizens, clean air and limited access to unhealthy food options, Helsinki’s sixth-place ranking is well deserved.
Berlin
Another city steeped in culture, Berlin’s average life expectancy is 81.1 years, which has increased from 80.6 in recent years. The German capital has also seen a decline in its costs to live a healthy lifestyle with an average monthly gym membership costing only £24.05 and a 1.5L water bottle costing £0.55 compared to £25.11 and £1.55 respectively in 2020. In addition to its low costs to live a healthy lifestyle, Berlin ranks ninth in Europe for the lowest pollution levels.
Stockholm
Stockholm ranks eighth on our list for cities to live a healthy lifestyle in. Though the cost of living may be high with an average monthly gym membership setting you back £36.74 and a 1.5L bottle of water costing £1.27 the Swedish capital ranks seventh in Europe for low obesity levels and has an average life expectancy of 82 years. With mental health being more important to prioritise than ever, Stockholm has ranked sixth out of the cities analysed for happiness levels with 7.3/10.
Fukuoka
Fukuoka, the second non-European country on the top 10 list, boasts the joint-highest life expectancy of all 48 cities alongside Osaka and Tokyo with an average of 84.9 years, increasing from 83.2 in 2020. Not only is Fukuoka known for its incredible cuisine but, its ability to assist in a healthy lifestyle should not be overlooked. With obesity levels just over 4.3% of the population, the second-lowest in the world and the cost of a bottle of water only reaching £0.81, a healthy lifestyle is easier than ever in this city on the northern shore of Japan’s Kyushu Island.
Geneva
The last city to make the top 10 list is Geneva. Known as a financial centre and location for worldwide diplomacy, Geneva ranks 10th for low working hours (1,495 annually) and third for happiness (7.3). Geneva is on the more expensive side with a bottle of water costing £1.05 and having the 11th highest monthly gym memberships of the cities analysed, setting you back £58.54 each month. However if you can afford slightly higher prices, this picturesque city is the perfect location to live a happy and healthy life.
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