PORTLAND: Healthy City For Women!

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By Carol McCracken  (Post # 1,272)

The City of Portland has been named the 10th healthiest city in the U.S.  for women.  After evaluating more than forty categories including nutrition, cost of living and cancer rates, Portland found itself among good company with San Francisco topping the list.  At number 10, Portland joins Burlington, Vermont as the healthiest cities in New England.  This determination was made by Women’s Health Magazine this month.

“Creating an envrironment that makes it easy for people to live healthy and active lives is important for the city and this rcognition highlights the fact that our hard work is paying off,” said City of Portland Mayor Michael Brennan.  “Value driven policy initiatives like improving the nutrition in our schools, creating somke free parks and expanding access to preventative health care are just a few reasons as to why Portland is earning a national reputation as the place to live.”

Improving the quality of life and reducing health risks associated with obesityl has been a priority for the city with hundreds of measures developed and implemented over the past few years.  Portland maingtains more than none hundred acres of parks and oen spaces, at least seventy-five miles of trails, more than twenty playgrounds, as well as Story Walks and fitness trails — creating ample opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.  Other recent infrastructure improvements implemented to make it easy for residents and visitors to live healthy lives include the exansion of the city’s community ardens to one hundred and thirty plots at four locations and the majority of Portland school, impelementation of a progrm that allows residents to uses SNAP benefits at local farmers markets and other infrastructure to make it easier for cyclists to ride around the city.

For more information about the ranking, visit http://womenshealthmag.com/life/best-cities-for-women?page=1.