You wouldn’t think Miami would be the nation’s fattest city, but that’s exactly where Men’s Fitness magazine ranks the oceanside metropolis in its annual survey. The fittest? Salt Lake City.
So what about the South Beach Diet… and all those buff bodies you always see in Miami? Even though the city has a high number of health-food stores per capita, Men’s Fitness found it also has nearly three times the fast-food restaurants as the average city. And while there are 79 percent more gyms and health clubs than average, residents are less likely to regularly use their memberships. Not many residents take advantage of outdoor activities, either.
On the other end of the spectrum… Salt Lake City got top marks for being the fittest city because of its abundance of park space, athletically motivated residents, and below- average obesity rates. It ranks highest in the survey in the number of people who take part in activities like beach volleyball, racquetball, aerobics, hiking, basketball, yoga, tai chi, swimming, cycling, running, and kickboxing.
As for the rest of the country, here are the top 25 fittest and fattest cities according to Men’s Fitness:
Top Fittest Cities
1. Salt Lake City, UT
2. Colorado Springs, CO
3. Minneapolis, MN
4. Denver, CO
5. Albuquerque, NM
6. Portland, OR
7. Honolulu, HI
8. Seattle, WA
9. Omaha, NE
10. Virginia Beach, VA
11. Milwaukee, WI
12. San Francisco, CA
13. Tucson, AZ
14. Boston, MA
15. Cleveland, OH
16. St. Louis, MO
17. Austin, TX
18. Washington, DC
19. Sacramento, CA
20. Oakland, CA
21. Atlanta, GA
22. Fresno, CA
23. Tampa, FL
24. Nashville-Davidson, TN
25. Pittsburgh, PA
Top Fattest Cities
1. Miami, FL
2. Oklahoma City, OK
3. San Antonio, TX
4. Las Vegas, NV
5. New York, NY
6. Houston, TX
7. El Paso, TX
8. Jacksonville, FL
9. Charlotte, NC
10. Louisville-Jefferson, KY
11. Memphis, TN
12. Detroit, MI
13. Chicago, IL
14. Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
15. San Jose, CA
16. Tulsa, OK
17. Baltimore, MD
18. Columbus, OH
19. Raleigh, NC
20. Philadelphia, PA
21. L.A.-Long Beach, CA
22. Phoenix-Mesa, AZ
23. Indianapolis, IN
24. San Diego, CA
25. Kansas City, MO
How did your city do?
[Photo Credit: Men's Fitness]
Ummm, I’m sad to hear that Phoenix AZ is number 22 on the fattest cities list! I was surprised to hear that so many cold weather cities were on the fittest list-Minneapolis, Milwaukee. I’m originally from the midwest and when it gets to below zero, the last thing you want to do is go to the gym!
Yeah, with all the additional weight on the southern end of our state we are now only 80 miles from Cuba. By 2015, there will probably be a land bridge from Key West to Havana!
I know, Katie – it seems crazy that these warmer climates are not at the top of the fit list! And some colder ones have such active residents. I have a hard time even getting out of the house in the winter here in Columbus, Ohio -#18 on the fattest list.
Dr. J – you need to go down to Miami and do something about this STAT!
Wow, that is pretty sad that my city (San Jose, CA) is listed as #15 on the fattest cities list. Not sure if I should be happy that it made into a list or cry that it’s on a fat list! So, Katie… #22 is not so bad after all!
Cathe – Seriously, what’s up with the moderate climate cities on the fat list?
Miami surprised me! It doesn’t surprise me to see all of the Western cities that made the fittest list though. It seems like the culture is different there – more outdoor activity minded.
[...] Fat Fighter TV has a list of the fattest U.S. cities. My city’s not on the list! I demand a recount! And how is Miami on the list? Check it out, is your city on the list of Fattest Cities? [...]