America's unhealthiest cities REVEALED: From junk food to costly clinics and few gyms - find out if YOUR city is putting you in an early grave

Brownsville, Texas, has ranked as the least healthy US city to call home.

That's according to a study released Monday by WalletHub, which measured the quality of healthcare, food, green spaces and the fitness of its people.

The Gulf Coast city of some 190,000 people scored badly among the 182 major cities measured, with among the least fit people and the worst diet in the country.

Gulfport, Mississippi, Laredo, Texas, Columbus, Georgia, and Shreveport, Louisiana, rounded out the worst-performing five.

Brownsville, Texas, scored badly due to one of the worst local diets in the country

Researchers scored a city on diets and how much fast food residents ate    

Experts on health and fitness say the is important, because life expectancy has taken a hit in the US in recent years.

Life expectancy rose to 77.5 years on average in 2022, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But that's still below it's peak of 78.9 years from a decade ago, before the pandemic.

The US life expectancy also falls behind other rich countries.

Jia Yu, an economist st Southern Connecticut State University, said living in some cities made it easier for people to live a healthy life.

'A city, that is affordable regarding to housing, medical, and daily expenses, allows a comfortable standard of living,' said Yu.

'It can reduce financial stress and lead to overall health and well-being.'

But, she added, the key to staying fit and healthy was 'self-discipline, especially under a tight budget.'

Economist Jia Yu says 'self-discipline' is vital for keeping your health under control 

'Based on my personal experience, managing my diet and exercise routine regularly will be very helpful,' she said.

'There are tons of books, apps, and social influencers, talking about healthy lifestyles for free.'

For its study, WalletHub scored the cities on the quality of their health care, food, fitness levels and amount of nearby green space and hiking trails.

Researchers gathered data from the US Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the CDC, Yelp and other sources.

Cities with lots of farmers markets, bike trails, subsidized healthcare systems, and cheap gyms tended to score higher.

Researchers scored cities on the average life expectancy, perhaps the most important measurement of healthy living

Those with lots of fast food joints, expensive health costs, and fewer parks tended to score worse.

Most of the lowest-scoring cities were located across the South.

Researchers also located the healthiest cities in the US.

San Francisco came out top, thanks to its healthy eateries, expansive parks and the lowest-in-the nation obesity rates.

Honolulu, Seattle, San Diego, and Washington DC, rounded out the healthiest five cities.

Yu says that city officials can play a role in the health of residents.

They should 'improve healthcare access to all residents, including low-income families and uninsured groups,' she said.