"This is one championship title I don't mind giving up to another city," said city councilwoman Carol Alvarado. "Congratulations, Detroit." But despite Houston's small step downward on the list, Dallas, San Antonio and Fort Worth moved up. Dallas ballooned from last year's ninth fattest city to third; San Antonio went from No. 13 to No. 4; and Fort Worth jumped from 16th to sixth. Detroit Tops List of Fattest U.S. Cities HOUSTON - After three years of holding the title as America's fattest city, Houston shed the weight of the title. The city dropped to No. 2 on the Men's Fitness list of "fattest cities" in America. Detroit moved to the top spot. Civic leaders credited initiatives started under Mayor Lee Brown's Get Lean Houston program and the work of the city's first fitness czar, former Mr. Universe Lee Labrada, for the accomplishment. Labrada, who was criticized for using the city's fitness Web site to sell his supplements, has a 28-inch waist and 6 percent body fat. He was named fitness czar after the 2002 ranking. "This is one championship title I don't mind giving up to another city," said city councilwoman Carol Alvarado. "Congratulations, Detroit." But despite Houston's small step downward on the list, Dallas, San Antonio and Fort Worth moved up. Dallas ballooned from last year's ninth fattest city to third; San Antonio went from No. 13 to No. 4; and Fort Worth jumped from 16th to sixth. Men's Fitness has published the list of the top 25 fattest cities for six years. The report will appear in the February issue, which hits newsstands this month. Peter Sikowitz, the magazine's editor-in-chief, applauded Houston's efforts to get fit. He said the city has improved its sports participation and promoted better nutritional habits. To determine the top 25 fattest cities, the magazine looked at the 50 largest cities in 14 categories, such as air quality, climate, commute time, total number of fast-food and pizza restaurants, and number of health clubs and sporting goods stores. "Habits are hard to change. For a city to go down a notch, it's significant," Sikowitz said in Friday's editions of the Houston Chronicle. "It's not just a matter of vanity but it's about well-being. It's really about quality of life." While some Houston residents ignored the list others took action. The news prompted state Sen. Mario Gallegos to start his own diet plan in 2002. He eliminated carbohydrates and dropped from 285 pounds to about 250 pounds. He acknowledges he strayed from the plan during the holidays. "I was getting big," Gallegos said. "Now it's nice to see the belt hang out like a tongue." With Houston changing its oversized ways, Labrada said Wednesday he plans to take the health and fitness campaign he created for the Bayou City to a national audience. "It's not one city's problem, it's America's problem," said Labrada, referring to the nation's obesity rate. "People needed to know there was a problem. There's still work to be done."
Hmmm... Houston no longer the fattest city.... Rockets can barely score 80 points... Oliver Stone, where ya at?
But Damn, Texas has the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th fattest cities. Does that make us the fattest state? I guess so.
So, just because we're one of the most competative restaurant markets in the country and it's hot as HELL in Houston means we're overweight? I mean I'm glad we no longer hold "the title" but I don't think that's a very accurate criteria. People just LOVE to hate on Houston.
I've always said that list was not accurate. I myself can live on pizza and fast food and won't gain 15 pounds but I do play basketball whenever I can though.
