Top 8 Most Artery-Clogging Cities

In a recent blog posted by Prevention magazine, the editors scoured through data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) data on obesity and heart disease in major metropolitan areas (populations over 200,000).  They compiled a list of 8 cities and deemed them the "most artery-clogging cities".  Here's what they found....

1. Detroit, MI - According to CDC data, Detroit residents have more report heart disease diagnoses than any other big city in the nation!!  Also, Detroit has an obesity rate of 33% (the state of Michigan's obesity rate is 30.9%).
2. Fort Wayne, IN - Previously listed as number 4 of the top 5 cities with the most obesity (American Obesity Association, 2001), Fort Wayne has a lot of room for growth to fight obesity and heart disease.
3. Lubbock, TX - Steakhouses and barbecue joints help to promote the 32% obesity rate among this Texas town.
4. New Orleans, LA - Nothing better than deep fried anything, right?  Southern fried foods are keeping New Orleans on the list despite the fact that more than 25% of the city is parkland (one of the highest percentages in any U.S. city according to Prevention).
5. Dallas, TX - According to Sandelman and Associates, a restaurant industry consultancy, Dallas residents consume fast food an average of 20.7 times per month (the national average is 17).
6. Baton Rouge, LA -  In Gallup polling, less than half of Baton Rouge residents report exercising frequently.  Combine that with fat-laden Creole and Cajun foods, residents here don't seem to have problems clogging their arteries!
7. Tulsa, OK - Apparently residents of Tulsa are not fans of walking.  According to Walk Score, an organization which promotes pedestrian-friendly communities, only 6% of Tulsa residents live in a neighborhood with a walk score of 70 or above (100 being best) and 57% live in entirely car-dependent locales.
8. Louisville, KY - Uh oh...did we just mention Kentucky??  Louisville contains more McDonald's restaurants per capita (39) than any city in the country, according to a Daily Beast/Newsweek report, plus 20 Arby's, 17 Dairy Queens and 19 Papa John's.  Aside from their ranking, Louisville was listed on the top 25 cities by Bicycling magazine as one of the most bike-friendly cities in the nation.

Even though some of these cities have access to walking and biking paths, parks, and healthy farmer's markets and community gardens, residents still choose unhealthy lifestyles.  Americans need to start making healthier choices.  Let's not be another statistic.  Choose healthy...be healthy...be happy.