Houston Named Fattest City For Third Year (Way to Go, Champs!)

WRAL.com ^ | January 2, 2003 | WRAL

[wimpycat]

We all know that obesity rates are increasing in the United States, but nobody wants their city to be known as the nation's fattest.

But Men's Fitness editors released their fifth annual "America's Fattest Cities" rankings, finding that Houston takes the cake in the fattest city competition.

[wimpycat]

The competition was tough, but Houston managed to pull it off. We'll all just have to try harder...but as they say, everything is bigger in Texas. (Sorry, just couldn't resist!)

[jra]

James Coney Island, anyone???

[Mr. Mulliner]

Where was Nashville in the list, I wonder. I think Nashville ought to be right up there.

[ru4liberty]

That does it! I'm moving!

[wimpycat]

2003, 2002, 2001
1. Houston 1. Houston 1. Houston
2. Chicago 2. Chicago 2. Detroit
3. Detroit 3. Detroit 3. Philadelphia
4. Philadelphia 4. Philadelphia 4. New Orleans
5. St Louis 5. Dallas 5. Columbus, Ohio
6. Cleveland 6. Columbus, Ohio 6. Mesa, Ariz.
7. Atlanta 7. San Antonio 7. Kansas City, Mo.
8. Columbus, Ohio 8. Fort Worth, Texas 8. Phoenix
9. Dallas 9. St. Louis 9. Cleveland
10. Charlotte, N.C. 10. Indianapolis 10. Chicago

[wimpycat]

These are the 10 "Fittest" Cities2003 2002 2001
1. Honolulu 1. Colorado Springs, Colo. 1. San Diego
2. Seattle 2. Denver 2. San Francisco
2. Honolulu
3. San Francisco 3. San Diego
4. Colorado Springs, Colo. 4. Seattle 4. Seattle
5. San Diego 5. San Francisco 5. Minneapolis
6. Portland, Ore. 6. Virginia Beach, Va. 6. Denver
7. Denver 7. Honolulu 7. Boston
8. Virginia Beach, Va. 8. Sacramento, Calif. 8. Virginia Beach, Va.
9. Tucson, Ariz. 9. Albuquerque, N.M. 9. Portland, Ore.
10. Sacramento 10. Boston 10. Washington, D.C.


Sorry about the sorry formatting, but if you click on the source link, there is another link that shows the 10 Fattest and Fittest Cities.

[Mr. Mulliner]

Notice that the south is over-represented?

[Dog Gone]

Average Houstonian

[SolidSupplySide]

The magazine evaluated the nation's 50 largest cities between July 2002 and September 2002. Cities were assessed in 16 categories, including fruit and vegetable consumption, sports participation, smoking, drinking, air and water quality, length of commute, availability of parks/open spaces, and percentage of overweight/sedentary residents.

It seems only one category (the last) judges how fat a city is. Why does the length of commute matter?

[maxwell]

Well why does smoking matter, for that matter... Or drinking... If those were factors, I'd weigh a ton by now.

[kassie]

Well you know how we Texans are, if there is competition, we have to be number one. :)

[SolidSupplySide]

Maybe Houston is the nation's #1 party city because drinking is included. Or else we can consider this ranking system a piece of crap.

[wimpycat]

I think we Tarheels have you beat in outhouses, and South Carolina has you beat in mobile homes, so don't get too cocky.

[CindyDawg]

I don't understand this. It was reported on Fox that Texans eat too much fast food and that we don't get out of the house enough to exercise. I'm not saying the guy was wrong but how do they know this? If we order delivery and stay in the house they can't see us. So how how do they know we are fat? I think they must have seen the FR donation list and since we are second, decided that we must sit in front of the computer and eat all day.

[r9etb]

It seems only one category (the last) judges how fat a city is. Why does the length of commute matter?

They've missed the big one: weather. Having lived in Houston (for 9 years), and living as I now do in Colorado Springs, I can tell you that's the basic difference.

In Houston (and, presumably, the South in general), you don't really want to go outside for most of the year, and you most definitely don't want to exercise in the heat and humidity.

In contrast, Colorado Springs is a place where you want to (and can) go outside, and enjoy outdoor activities, all year long.

The "outdoors factor" is key.

[Dog Gone]

The rating really has almost nothing to do with fatness. It measures cities against some utopian standard and deducts for any variance from it. Houston is penalized, for example, for having a high number of fast food restaurants.

It's just silliness.

[Winfield]

After listening "carefully" to the report of these "findings" on TV, it is obvious that the list is not based on anykind of "facts" at all. A poll shows that Houston "watches more tv (Wouldn't it follow that they may also
read more?). Therefore, it is assumed that they are less healthy and "fatter". Excuse me!!! Maybe there are more intellectuals in Houston. Or.....maybe Houstonians are more knowledgeable on matters of importance (Especially, if they watch FOX NEWS!) Look at that list. I smell the possiblity of more chicanery by effete, liberal, media controlling snobs. I have been to L.A. and seen what gorging all that Mexican food can do to the populace. Did L.A. make the list?
Of course not! No "fatties" in New York? Puleeeez!!!

[wimpycat]

You're just jealous because Philadelphia was only the 4th fattest city.

[kassie]

LOL but we have you beat in illegals, and dead people voting.

[muleskinner]

I lived there for 6 years. Your assesment is correct.