Columbus among top 10 unhealthiest cities in United States, according to Forbes

COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) – Columbus is among the top 10 unhealthiest cities in the United States, according to a recent study by Forbes.

Between 2020 and 2050, the number of adults aged 50 and older with at least one chronic disease is projected to nearly double. Some cities are more impacted than others, with analyses suggesting income level, education and commuting patterns may influence how healthy a city's residents are, according to Forbes.

A study by the media company compared the 50 most populated cities in the country across eight metrics, including the number of adults who reported inactivity and smoking, as well as the percentage of adults with diabetes and high blood pressure. All data was sourced from The City Health Dashboard from 2021.

Columbus came in as the 10th most unhealthy city in America. The city experienced about 200 heart disease deaths and 57 opioid deaths per 100,000 residents in 2021. Additionally, about 19% of adults reported binge drinking, 19% reported smoking and 37% reported being obese.

Taking the No. 1 spot as the unhealthiest city in the country was Detroit, which had the highest percentage of adults who reported obesity (45.5%) and smoking (28.5%). Coming in second place was Milwaukee, which had the highest number of opioid overdoses (59.2) and the highest percentage of adults who reported binge drinking (22.6%).

In third place was Memphis, Tennessee, followed by Philadelphia; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Indianapolis; Las Vegas; Louisville, Kentucky; and Nashville, Tennessee.

On the other hand, the healthiest city was San Jose, California. The city had the second-lowest number of opioid deaths per 100,000 residents (8.3) and the second-lowest percentage of adults who reported obesity (20.9%). San Jose was followed by Austin, Texas; Seattle; San Diego; and Denver.