America's fattest cities 2002 - 4th Annual Report

Men's Fitness, Feb, 2002 by Keith Griffiths

The Texas Star took a heavy drop in the ranking this year. Perhaps to avoid the poor air quality and inhospitable climate, too many Dallas cowboys stayed indoors to watch the Dallas Cowboys--and supported local industry by munching Fritos and Doritos the whole time. Still hungry after the game? There's a lot of eating going on here: Dallas has four times more restaurants per person than New York City. It also has more than its fair share of junk food, including 105 doughnut shops.

Not all is lost, though. Dallas ranks in the top 25 percent in racquetball and horseback riding. (If you come up with the connection, please let us know.) You can stay well-hydrated on the city's decent water, and, once you decide to put down your sausage-on-a-stick and get going, you won't have too much trouble finding a golf course or a fitness center.

STUFF THE FIT-MINDED CAN DO: Chalk it up at Stone Works in Carrollton, which boasts a record 121 feet of vertical climbing area in ... wait for it ... a grain silo! Legacy Park (five miles) offers tree-lined trails, while White Rock Creek Trail (seven miles) meets up with White Rock Lake Trail (11 miles) for a good workout. Kayak at the lake for a cool-down. BFW Adventure Teams caters to all sorts of outdoor activities in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, including hiking, paragliding, water sports and horseback riding, to name a few. For a communal experience, join the local incarnation of "Hoop It Up," an annual gathering of amateur b-ball fanatics, or hie thee to "Plow, Plant and Shear," a reenactment of the pioneers' daily routine on the prairie.

6 COLUMBUS

BUCKEYES AND BUTTS

REPORT CARD

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

Every year, Arnold Schwarzenegger hosts his famous Fitness Weekend here, which includes bodybuilding, gymnastics, martial arts and 10K races.

But does everyone put away his Asics when the Terminator takes off? Only four cities scored worse than Columbus did for overall sports participation. Golf, tennis and soccer get decent turnouts, but fewer people walk here than in any other city in the survey.

Columbus is fourth in restaurant sales per capita, boosted by the trendy Short North, German Village and Brewery District areas. The residents don't order enough fruits and vegetables, but they do light up after dinner. Ohio ranks second only to Nevada for adult smokers, with 27.6 percent admitting to the vice, abetted by some of the nation's most lenient smoking regulations.

STUFF THE FIT-MINDED CAN DO: Officially stung by its continued ranking as one of America's Fattest Cities, Columbus has launched "Commit to Be Fit," a health initiative that culminates its first season with an expo and cycling rally in July. In the meantime, fitness info, tips and success stories are running on WBNS-TV and its Web site (www.10tv.com); Kroger markets are flagging healthy foods on their shelves; and the Ohio State University Medical Center is providing smoking-cessation advice. After you've stubbed out your last stick o' nico', sign up for Arnold's 5K Pump and Run, where bench-pressing your weight reduces your run time. Or hike the Conkle Hollow State Nature Preserve to get your legs and lungs ready for the Columbus Marathon in October.