America's fattest cities 2002 - 4th Annual Report

Men's Fitness, Feb, 2002 by Keith Griffiths

STUFF THE FIT-MINDED CAN DO: It's easy to find a bowling alley, but hard to find an open lane. You've got 48 chances at Taylor Lanes or 52 at Cherry Hill Lanes in Dearborn Heights. You can join the inline skaters at the Pontiac Silverdome or play b-ball or v-ball, skate or train at Joe Dumars Fieldhouse and Bayou Fun Center, run by the former Pistons star and current exec. The 13 Metroparks form a 24,000-acre green belt around Detroit. Two of the largest, Stony Creek Park and Kensington Park, offer hiking, biking, nature study, golf, winter sports and a host of special outdoor programs; check www.metroparks.com for more details. Just outside the city, the Sterling Inn has a 22,000-square-foot indoor water park and fitness center.

4 PHILADELPHIA

THE FORMER FAT CAPITAL

REPORT CARD

Healthy habits:           D
Fat factors:              C
Deadly sins:              D
Air and water:            D
Natural environment:      C-
Urban attributes:         C

Slowly but surely, Philadelphia is climbing up the fitness ladder. Two years ago, Mayor John Street took Philadelphia's Fattest City ranking as a call to action. He appointed Gwen Foster "health and fitness czar" and enthusiastically backed a variety of innovative fitness ideas. One attention-getting promotion with the NBA 76ers resulted in 20,000 residents signing on to lose 76 tons. Nonetheless, Foster seems most proud of exercise and nutrition programs designed to help those with obesity-related diabetes. "We've seen people who have been able to lose enough weight to go off medications and, in some cases, avoid amputation," she reports.

Philadelphians could easily clamber a few more rungs up the fitness ladder if they'd switch off the cable and stub out their cigarettes. The stricter smoking regulations that are in the works are much needed--the city has the highest incidence of lung cancer in the survey. Scores went up this year for sports and exercise, but stayed in the bottom 10 percent for health-food stores and fitness centers. The record number of pizza parlors declined, but with 487 such emporia remaining, locals still don't have to look far to get their fix of cheese and pepperoni.

STUFF THE FIT-MINDED CAN DO: Fairmount Park, one of the world's largest municipal parks, has more than 75 miles of trails plus every other type of recreation for the mind and body, including the nation's finest rowing course. Make your way to Boat House Row and join the "Schuylkill Navy," the collection of historic rowing clubs that makes the Schuylkill River its home. Culture-loving joggers and Rocky fans will appreciate an eight-mile run starting at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. When Jack Frost starts nipping, try the Blue Cross RiverRink at Penn's Landing for outdoor ice-skating. The "Fun, Fit and Free" Web site (www.phila.gov/fitandfun) has links to recreation centers, sports programs and the Mobility Alternatives Program, which offers incentives for people to walk, bike or skate to work.

5 DALLAS

THE GREAT BIG D

REPORT CARD

Healthy habits:           C
Fat factors:              D 
Deadly sins:              C-
Air and water:            C
Natural environment:      D-
Urban attributes:         D