Houston, We Have a Problem - a rather BIG one
Houston, Texas has been named the fattest city in the USA for the second year in a row by Men's Fitness magazine. Other top-blubber towns in the annual analysis: Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia and Dallas. In contrast, the fittest cities in the country are Colorado Springs, Denver, San Diego (number one last year), Seattle and San Francisco. The rankings appear in the February issue, on stands Monday.
Houston - It gets clobbered by high TV viewership and low exercise and sports participation. "There's not much that individuals can do about the poor air quality and even less about problematic geography, but they can turn off the tube and get out to their parks, which offer a variety of free programs for kids and adults," the editors write.
Chicago - The Windy City has the worst climate of the 50 cities surveyed. Summers are hot and humid; winter brings nearly 90 days of below-freezing temperatures. Air quality is poor, and the commute times are among the worst, the editors say. It "is the second worst in the category of parks and open space, with 394 people per acre, compared to San Diego's ratio of 34 people per acre," the editors write.
Detroit - Poor grades in climate and geography might be excusable, but considering how lousy the air is here "why do so many smoke?" the magazine asks. Add substandard nutrition, a lack of fitness centers, poor access to health care and a tough commute, and the Motor City sputters and stalls.
Philadelphia - It's climbing up the fitness ladder. Two years ago, Mayor John Street took the city's fattest city ranking as a call to action. He appointed a health-and-fitness czar and backed a variety of innovative fitness ideas. Philadelphians "could easily clamber a few more rungs up the fitness ladder they'd switch off the cable and stub out their cigarettes," the magazine says.
Dallas - It has four times more restaurants per person than New York. It also has more than its fair share of junk food, including 105 doughnut shops.
The Fattest
Houston
Chicago
Detroit
Philadelphia
Dallas
Columbus, Ohio
San Antonio
Fort Worth
St Louis
Indianapolis
Tulsa
Atlanta
Cleveland
El Paso
Miami
New York
Kansas City, Missouri
Phoenix
Baltimore
New Orleans
Charlotte, North Carolina
Milwaukee
Las Vegas
Mesa, Arizona
Wichita