the city , and organic produce `` is pushed throughout the schools , '' he said . Boulder 's 100,000 residents have 360 miles of bike paths and 64 underpasses , so cyclists need not stop when they reach an intersection . `` We think that 's much safer , and it 's much faster and it 's more fun , '' said Havlick , 72 , who returned last week from hiking on glaciers in Alaska . Exercise is also part of the political culture of Boulder , where seven of the nine City Council members are bicyclists , said Havlick , professor emeritus of architecture and planning at the University of Colorado . `` There 's a strong inclination for more money to be spent on reducing car dependency . '' Weather , too , plays a role , with 330 days of sunshine , he said . And social pressure may have an impact . `` I think there is a stigma attached to people who have a BMI that 's high , '' he said , referring to body mass index , a measure of body fat based on height and weight . Still , he
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- While most Americans continue to get fatter , Coloradans stand out as being among the fittest in the country , the Trust for America 's Health says . Exercise and good nutrition are part of the Colorado public consciouness , says one former official . The state ranked 51st in obesity , with 17.6 percent of its 4.3 million residents squeezing into that category . -LRB- The rankings included the District of Columbia . -RRB- And fewer than one in five state residents leads an inactive lifestyle , the trust found . That appeared to pay off in health benefits , with Colorado ranking 50th in diabetes and high blood pressure . These figures did not surprise Spenser Havlick , former deputy mayor of Boulder , where exercise and good nutrition rank high in the public consciousness and attract like-minded people from other parts of the country , he said . `` They are leaving behind a more sedentary life in the larger cities , '' he said . `` Every weekend , there 's a 5K race , a 10K race ; there are ultramarathons . '' A number of organic health food stores dot