Madison is the No. 1 city to walk in for exercise, according to new rankings released by Prevention Magazine.

Many factors went into determining the rankings, including street safety, weather, air quality and scenic walking paths, according to the nationally published health magazine.

"It's always nice to get nationally recognized for something, whatever the area might be," said George Twigg, communications director for Mayor Dave Cieslewicz. "But in this case, the city has worked hard on issues of ways to make the city more walkable."

Twigg said the city's investment in making new bike paths — which can also be used by walkers and Rollerbladers — has helped Madison become friendlier for walkers.

"The mayor also created a program called Fit City Madison, which is focused on encouraging physical activity, especially among kids," Twigg added.

In addition to the program, the mayor has also created the position of Fit City Coordinator, who helps organize exercise events such as Yoga on the Square.

University of Wisconsin kinesiology lecturer Lynn Vande Sande said walking is a great way to get healthy.

Walking can be beneficial for the city's older population or people who have joint problems, Vande Sande said, because running can put four times as much weight on the lower body every time the foot hits the ground.

"If you've got joint instability, that's a lot of force," Vande Sande added.

The mayor was also concerned about the country's growing childhood obesity epidemic when planning the Fit City Program, according to Twigg.

Vande Sande said while walking is clearly a good exercise for those children who enjoy it, many children would prefer more exciting activities.

"Children are not just miniature versions of adults — they have a whole different energy system than adults do," Vande Sande said. "Kids tend to do more activities where they can actually run, whether that be an organized activity or if it's 'kick the can.'"

The nationwide acknowledgment, Twigg added, shows how conscious Madison has become of health and exercise-related issues.

"We do have a very active population here, so it's just a community that's really — comparatively — health-focused and is generally active," Twigg said.