A Puerto Vallarta health study found low fruit and vegetable intake, weak exercise habits, alcohol use, smoking, and vaping among adults surveyed in the city.
The exploratory observational study was presented during a meeting of the municipal Health and Addiction Prevention Commission. It surveyed Mexican adults ages 20 to 69 living in Puerto Vallarta through face-to-face interviews in public spaces from June 29 to July 7, 2025, according to a summary of the study presented to the commission.
City officials discussed the findings as part of a broader question facing Puerto Vallarta. Should the city strengthen its public-health agenda and seek a place in the Pan American Health Organization’s healthy municipalities network?
Survey points to diet and exercise gaps
The study found that only 36 percent of surveyed adults reported eating fruits and vegetables daily or almost daily. Only 40 percent said fruits and vegetables filled half their plate, the amount referenced in Mexico’s healthy eating guidance.
Researchers described the combined result as a sign that six in 10 surveyed adults had insufficient fruit and vegetable consumption in both frequency and quantity. The report also found low legume intake, regular consumption of ultra-processed foods, high intake of sugary drinks, and common use of added salt or sodium-heavy products.
Exercise levels also stood out. The study found that 34 percent of surveyed adults were physically inactive, while another 31 percent were insufficiently active. It also found that 56 percent reported sedentary behavior during free time, defined as more than three hours.
Alcohol, smoking, and vaping were also included in the risk profile. The study found that 56 percent reported drinking alcohol in some frequency or quantity, while 22 percent said they smoked or vaped.
The public summary of the study did not list a sample size, so the findings should be read as an early local snapshot rather than a full population survey. Still, the patterns match the kinds of chronic-disease risks municipal health officials already cite in local planning.
Health commission weighs a broader agenda
The Health and Addiction Prevention Commission’s current municipal work plan says it seeks to promote healthy lifestyles, prevent substance use, and support physical and mental well-being. The plan says the commission wants to build “a healthier and more prosperous future for our port.”
The study presentation also raised the possibility of Puerto Vallarta joining PAHO’s Healthy Municipalities, Cities and Communities Movement, a regional platform led by local governments. PAHO describes the movement as a way for municipalities to coordinate health work across government, schools, health institutions, private groups, and civil society.
Puerto Vallarta has already been expanding some local health access points. In recent coverage, Vallarta Daily reported that the city has been promoting free Dr. Tucán clinics in Mojoneras, Ixtapa, and Coapinole.
No new municipal program was announced with the study presentation. The immediate result is for City Hall to turn the findings into a clearer local plan, especially around nutrition, physical activity, alcohol use, smoking, and chronic-disease prevention.
