People who live in California spend on average almost 90 minutes per week on running, swimming, bicycling, lifting weights and other measures to stay healthy and fit, which is close to the minimal amount of time recommended by the U.S. government, and more than the residents of all other states seem able to manage, according to data collected by MapMyFitness, a manufacturer of activity tracking software with more than 20 million users.

Runner-ups are Arizona, Colorado, Oregon and Washington.

Some of these findings seem unsurprising. California offers good weather conditions for outdoor activities almost all year round, and the other leading states are known for their natural beauty as well. A comparatively high standard of living and an educated populace add to the advantages.

And there are other important benefits, such as a health-promoting infrastructure that includes sidewalks, bike paths, public pools and other spaces for recreation, which are not as ubiquitous elsewhere.

None of this, however, can fully explain the sometimes dramatic differences within the country in terms of public health and fitness. While personal wellness depends on multiple factors that can be hard to calculate, it is clear that besides geographic diversity, culture also plays a role.

Much has been reported about the “über-generous” perks the employees of giant tech companies like Google and Microsoft (headquartered in California and Washington respectively) receive, including cafeterias stocked with health food for free, state-of-the-art gyms on campus, all-inclusive healthcare plans, and more.

But an ever-increasing number of mid-size and small businesses also realize how imperative it is, including for their own bottom line, to invest in the well-being of their staff – so much so that corporate wellness has become a multi-billion industry in and of itself.

Ideally, corporate health and fitness programs continue to influence people’s behavior outside the workplace as well. Studies have shown that once workers buy into a culture that emphasizes wellness, they stand a much better chance of succeeding long-term on their own.

Company policies work best when those whom they are designed for participate freely, not because they feel they are expected to but because they recognize the benefits they are reaping for themselves. Prying, prodding or punishing only gets you so far, says Al Lewis, a lawyer and consultant on issues of workplace wellness. He is critical of programs he considers unreasonably intrusive in people’s private affairs.

Under federal law, participation in all employer-sponsored wellness plans must be voluntary and non-discriminatory.

Still, nurturing a culture that favors healthy over unhealthy behavior can serve as an effective tool for the prevention of many illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“Prevention should be woven into all aspects of our lives, including where and how we live, learn, work, and play,” the agency states in its recommendations, titled National Prevention Strategy. “Everyone – businesses, educators, health care institutions, government, communities, and every single American – has a role in creating a healthier nation.”

Timi Gustafson R.D. is a registered dietitian, newspaper columnist, blogger and author of the book “The Healthy Diner – How to Eat Right and Still Have Fun”®, which is available on her blog and at amazon.com.  For more articles on nutrition, health and lifestyle, visit her blog, “Food and Health with Timi Gustafson R.D.” (www.timigustafson.com). You can follow Timi on Twitter, on Facebook, and Google+.