Eight Most Obese Cities in America
A list featuring eight of the most obese cities in America has been released, leaving many to wonder where their city ranks on the list overall and what can be done to stop obesity.
The study was done in urban locations with populations of over 200,000 people, according to Yahoo. These heavily populated areas are most likely to have fast food institutions and feature a more “on the go” lifestyle, which allows for more unhealthy eating.
Louisville, Ky., is the number eight city on the list. This city contains more McDonald's per capita (39) and about 20 each of Arby's, Papa John's, and Dairy Queen, according to Daily Beast/Newsweek.
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Many of the residents suffer from heart disease and perhaps in an effort to improve health, Louisville is building a 100-mile bicycle path called the Louisville Loop.
Next on the list is Tulsa, Okla. and a reason for this is mainly due to their citizens not walking. Yahoo reported that residents of Tulsa live in areas where 57 percent of people exclusively drove cars and only six percent walk.
Baton Rouge, La. residents do not exercise – with less than half doing so frequently, according to Gallop. Another factor is that Cajun and Creole food contain lots of fat, despite hearty meals with vegetables and spices.
The national average of consumed fast food is 17 percent, but Dallas, Texas is up at almost 21 percent. The Alliance reported that only residents in Dallas get their food by biking or walking.
New Orleans, La. is a bit confusing because 25 percent of the city is park land, yet being a party place means a lot of late night food binges, and alcoholic beverages reign supreme here.
Another city in Texas that made the list is Lubbock, with an obesity rate of 32 percent. Yahoo attributed this to the abundance of steak and barbeque joints in the city.
Although it is statistically rated one of the happiest cities in America, according to a study by Gallup, Fort Wayne, Ind. also has one of the highest levels of obesity and heart disease.
The number one most obese city in the U.S. is Detroit, Mich.. They have more reported heart disease than any other city in the nation and 33 percent of its residents are obese, according to Yahoo.
