America's Fattest City of 2010 is.............

[Kerry]

Yes, and we were #1 for most sluggish cities ... i.e. most unfit, so I think that makes us the fattest city.

No OKC wasn't. It ranked at the bottom of all the cities in the "Fittest Cities" list. Are you saying if they did a survey of the fattest cities they would use the exact same criteria and just invert the results? I don't think they would.

I was in a survey of smartest people with Einstein, Hawking, and Sagan. I came in last. That doesn't make me stupid. People finish last in the Olympics, it doesn’t make them slow.

I understand some of you are self-haters but you should at least find a valid reason for being a self-hater. No need to make stuff up.

[Stan Silliman]

There should be benefits from being named America's Fattest City.
I haven't figured them all out yet but they'll come.

Perhaps a movie: "New Fat City"

Continue the "Saving Grace" TV series where Grace Hanadarko balloons up to 200 pounds and her guardian angel gets hooked on Earl's ribs and has to contend with BBQ sauce on his wings.

A big spring company comes into town to specially equip new cars all our fat citizens are buying.

Theaters with extra wide chairs for fat-a$$es will be test marketed in OKC. Could be the Cinemax. We put the Max in Cinemax.

Brickashaw Trikes will do double duty by hiring obese trike peddlers promising they'll lose weight while working. If it works and it's documented to help the driver's reduce Mr. Pippen can expand his "Fatties on Three Wheelers" by franchising it to cities throughout the midwest.

I'll come back with more ideas later. Behind every fat cloud there's some silver ready to line your pocket... or something like that.

[DirtLaw]

No OKC wasn't. It ranked at the bottom of all the cities in the "Fittest Cities" list. Are you saying if they did a survey of the fattest cities they would use the exact same criteria and just invert the results? I don't think they would.

I was in a survey of smartest people with Einstein, Hawking, and Sagan. I came in last. That doesn't make me stupid. People finish last in the Olympics, it doesn’t make them slow.

I understand some of you are self-haters but you should at least find a valid reason for being a self-hater. No need to make stuff up.

In Depth: America's 10 Most Sluggish Cities
PreviousNext
Share Twitter Facebook Digg It! RSS Email

iStockCLOSE
No. 1: Oklahoma City, Okla.
Score: 24.3
Obesity Rate: 30.2%
Exercise Rate: 71.0%
The most sluggish city in the U.S. has many dubious distinctions: one-third as much park land as most cities; an obesity rate four points above the average; half as many baseball diamonds, rec centers and dog parks as a typical city.



I am not sure if that copy and past came out correct, but it CLEARLY states that we were the #1 most sluggish city ... not sure how that translates to me making stuff up??

[Laramie]

What price does being named the "Fattest City in America" carry in weight:

Nothing!

I still say that DALLAS has more FAT FOLKS than Oklahoma City!

Look at the number of fast food/restaurant establishments which has closed in Dallas lately for all those fat folk employees eating up all the profits!

[OU Adonis]

I think a lot of it is perception when it comes to weight. I have some larger friends. I dropped about 15 pounds and got down to around 177ish from 192. I am 6'1 tall. They kept telling me how unhealthy and skinny I looked.

But 177 isn't skinny for a 6'1 guy, they are just used to larger people. In fact almost all of their friends are larger.

[Bunty]

I bet Tulsa isn't all that high up there for lack of fitness because they have a prettier environment to exercise in.

[betts]

True, but people in Washington, D.C. WALK places. We do not have a pedestrian-oriented environment in OKC, and I'm starting to wonder if the planners, developers and political leaders here have any clue how to create one.

Sidewalks are a start. It's hard to walk without sidewalks.

I've been thinking about this one, because until I moved downtown, I hopped in my car to go four blocks without thinking about it. Now, I always think: is it far enough to drive? One of the reasons, I think, is that parking is a pain in the neck downtown and in Bricktown, not to mention expensive. I've noticed the same thing when I visit my daughters in Chicago. In their neighborhood, parking spaces are at a premium. When you find one, you think carefully before giving it up. So, it's a lot easier for them to walk to the bus than to drive and try to find parking where they're going and again when they return home. So, our massive parking lots with a plethora of parking spaces we have around town are a definite factor making it easy for people to drive.

Then, I said, "walk to the bus" above. You've got to have a destination if you're going to walk. Bricktown and downtown are nice destinations for me, and we've got lots of cute little commercial areas around town from times when people walked more that are being rehabbed, with many more with potential. If you've got a few restaurants and a coffee shop a few blocks away, or even better that plus retail, that makes an appealing destination. Mass transit a few blocks away makes another appealing destination.

So, we have to have places for people to walk, close enough that they can walk in a reasonable period of time, difficult parking and sidewalks on which to walk. We've got some things happening that will make this a more walkable city in the future, I think.

[OU Adonis]

It doesn't help when people are just plain lazy.

For example this happens all the time. I will be in a parking lot and see a car go through 3 or 4 isles trying to get 20 feet closer to the door. They spend 5 minutes getting closer to the door instead of just parking and spending those 5 minutes walking.

That is lazy.

[Peach fuzz]

Culture Culture Culture... here its seems "trashy" to walk to the bus stop and ride the bus. In other cities it's part of every day life from sugar daddys to crack heads.

[dismayed]

Rather than a fast food tax, I would prefer to see our city government address this by adding more sidewalks, increasing landscaping and tree cover in the metro, creating more outdoor spaces from amphitheaters to sporting parks, and giving tax incentives to businesses that develop with a focus on mixed-use pedestrian-friendly development as opposed to a giant big box surrounded by a sea of concrete.

[soonerguru]

How would everyone feel about a "fast food tax"?

The money could be put into the state health department, funding for parks, sidewalks and maintenance, diabetes prevention, or education for health.

Just like the state heavily taxes alcohol and tobacco.

I'm a HUGE proponent of this idea. The trouble is, how would restaurants be defined as "fast food?" Would they have to have a drive-thru to qualify?

[SkyWestOKC]

I eat fast food and am healthy? Why should I be punished by paying a higher price? You (proponents of this) also cite monetary reasons why people eat fast food. Let's drive up the cost of the food they can afford...that's a great idea.

How about offering tax incentives to restaurants and grocery stores who offer a healthy selection of food, but in order to qualify they must prove they pass on the incentives to the customer through lower price.

What happens if I order something just as bad but through a non-fast food restaurant? For example, the 1 lb burger at Nik's in downtown? Do I receive the tax also?

Who defines what is healthy, who defines what is fast-food, slow-food, or medium-speed food? What about the frozen food in stores, let's tax it too?

Once it starts, this will get huge in a very negative way.

[rcjunkie]

Rather than a fast food tax, I would prefer to see our city government address this by adding more sidewalks, increasing landscaping and tree cover in the metro, creating more outdoor spaces from amphitheaters to sporting parks, and giving tax incentives to businesses that develop with a focus on mixed-use pedestrian-friendly development as opposed to a giant big box surrounded by a sea of concrete.

I agree with the need for more sidewalks with trees/landscaping, outdoor spaces, etc;, however, we will need to find a way to generate tax dollars so that the City can properly maintain such areas.

[Bunty]

How would everyone feel about a "fast food tax"?

The money could be put into the state health department, funding for parks, sidewalks and maintenance, diabetes prevention, or education for health.

Just like the state heavily taxes alcohol and tobacco.

The reason why you are so right is because California was one of the first states to raise taxes on cigarettes. As a result the cancer rate went down. Later in California it was decided that smoking in bars and restaurants had to be banned because workers in such places were getting cancer from second hand smoke.

Putting a tax on unhealthy junk food is not a bad idea. It would definitely make me eat less of it. Because the fat that eating too much junk food brings on can help cause health problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and gall bladder disease to name some. Those who are bitterly opposed to such a tax are so profoundly wrong, it's pitiful. If they got bellies that stick out big and huge, then I'm not in the least surprised.

[ljbab728]

I'm a HUGE proponent of this idea. The trouble is, how would restaurants be defined as "fast food?" Would they have to have a drive-thru to qualify?

I think this is a ridiculous idea. Most fast food locations now have a number of healthy items on their menus. Do we now have to decide which menu items have an extra tax? Having a nutrition listing for the menu items should be sufficient. Try looking at the nutritional values of the menu at the Cheesecake Factory. It would never be considered fast food but is always cited as one of the worst.
There are numerous televsion shows that are fast food for the mind. Should we put an extra tax on those also?
There has to be some limit on government intrusion into controlling our lives and protecting us from ourselves by taxation.

[oneforone]

I am not for any kind of tax or government regulation what I eat and how often/how much I eat of it.

If it was not for the overspending and deep debts our governments constantly maintain, this would be a non-issue.

The drug problem is a perfect example of how government regulation does not work. A person can lose everything they own and spend decades and jail for drug offenses. Yet, people still do them everyday and every person in the United States knows someone who is using or selling illegal drugs.

I think health insurance should be behavior priced just like auto insurance is priced. If you eat right, excercise and follow your physcians orders you should pay very little. If you eat like pig, drink like a fish and smoke like a diesel truck and blow off your doc's advice you should pay high rates. Just like a person how has had mulitple accidents and moving violations does on auto insurance policy.

[Ezrablum]

I work in the restaurant business. Oklahoman's are so proud of ordering xtra ranch dressing and getting gravy on their mashed potatoes.

The serving of ranch given with the salad is plenty, people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No need to drown that stuff. Totally outdoing any good you would have done in having a salad in the first place.

[mooshie]

I work in the restaurant business. Oklahoman's are so proud of ordering xtra ranch dressing and getting gravy on their mashed potatoes.

The serving of ranch given with the salad is plenty, people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No need to drown that stuff. Totally outdoing any good you would have done in having a salad in the first place.

I'll have a cup of ranch with a side of salad.

[betts]

I work in the restaurant business. Oklahoman's are so proud of ordering xtra ranch dressing and getting gravy on their mashed potatoes.

The serving of ranch given with the salad is plenty, people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No need to drown that stuff. Totally outdoing any good you would have done in having a salad in the first place.

It's about more than that. It's about portion sizes. We can thank McDonald's for the supersize. Now everyone feels cheated if they don't get more for their money. Restaurants compete by offering more at a cheaper price. We grew up thinking it was wrong not to clean our plates and so we eat until the plate is clean.

I have a friend who lived in Japan for awhile. She told me that what we consider one portionhere, in Japan would feed an entire family. They're thin there, on the whole.

We need to do more ordering of one entree and sharing it with another person.

[soonerguru]

I think this is a ridiculous idea. Most fast food locations now have a number of healthy items on their menus. Do we now have to decide which menu items have an extra tax? Having a nutrition listing for the menu items should be sufficient. Try looking at the nutritional values of the menu at the Cheesecake Factory. It would never be considered fast food but is always cited as one of the worst.
There are numerous televsion shows that are fast food for the mind. Should we put an extra tax on those also?
There has to be some limit on government intrusion into controlling our lives and protecting us from ourselves by taxation.

This is an excellent point. My wife and I were talking about the fact that it's chain restaurants in general -- not just fast food places -- that are bad. When you see the list of bad foods that came out yesterday, the places featured were PF Chang's, On The Border, Cheesecake Factory, etc.

I had the fish tacos at On the Border, because I thought they would be healthier (no cheese, no sour cream, etc.). Turns out they ended up on the list.

If you want to eat "healthy," cook your own food or just go to places like Coolgreens.

[Jesseda]

WOW I MEAN WOW Our city wasnt prepared to win.. We would like to thank all the fast food restaurants out there in the city, also we would like to thank all the restaurants who gives us larger than normal portions. We would like to thank the weather for being to cold or to hot to excercise outside. still in shock that we won ohh myy mmmmm , i would like to thank mom and dad for teaching me how to eat, my co-workers for going out for lunch every day.. I really would like to thank my sister for showing me how good it is to put lots of strawberrry jelly on my mcdonalds $1.00 mcmuffins and work pants that have elastic giveway.. Without all this we would not have the honer in coming in first place.. Thank you, got to go now heading off to sonic for happy hour..

[Laramie]

I work in the restaurant business. Oklahoman's are so proud of ordering xtra ranch dressing and getting gravy on their mashed potatoes.

The serving of ranch given with the salad is plenty, people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No need to drown that stuff. Totally outdoing any good you would have done in having a salad in the first place.

Good point! It's the portions we eat that cause us to put on weight and crave for more...

"Oh, I'll have a salad for lunch;" hell, you're not going to lose weight if you pile on the bacon bits, diced ham bits, croutons, ranch, mushrooms, shredded cheese, oil & vinegar. You would have been better off eating a whole turkey leg for the calories produced from that salad compound.

Stay healthly folks and stay away from the hospitals--you'll live a lot longer.

[oneforone]

It's about more than that. It's about portion sizes. We can thank McDonald's for the supersize. Now everyone feels cheated if they don't get more for their money. Restaurants compete by offering more at a cheaper price. We grew up thinking it was wrong not to clean our plates and so we eat until the plate is clean.

I have a friend who lived in Japan for awhile. She told me that what we consider one portionhere, in Japan would feed an entire family. They're thin there, on the whole.

We need to do more ordering of one entree and sharing it with another person.

The clean your plate rule was altered somewhere along the way from what it meant at my family's table.

Clean your plate did not mean pile enough on your plate to feed an army then finish it.

At my family table the Clean Your Plate rule meant, no seconds, no dessert, until you ate your veggies and everything else on the orginal serving. We were taught to never let your eyes overload your stomach. Have a reasonable portion first and seconds of the same size serving if you finish everything else.

Fast Food/Dining Out was only once or twice over a two week period. It was not a nightly thing to say the least. I think if more people applied that rule we would be better off.

The reason why we have so many overweight people these days is the lack of activity. The internet, cell phones, and other technology have made us pretty lazy. People think in order to get in shape you have to join a gym and hire a personal trainer.

There are two easy steps to wait loss, eat less and move around more.

Doctors have said for years that eating healthy and taking a one hour brisk walk every day is all most people need to stay fit.

[ljbab728]

This is an excellent point. My wife and I were talking about the fact that it's chain restaurants in general -- not just fast food places -- that are bad. When you see the list of bad foods that came out yesterday, the places featured were PF Chang's, On The Border, Cheesecake Factory, etc.

I had the fish tacos at On the Border, because I thought they would be healthier (no cheese, no sour cream, etc.). Turns out they ended up on the list.

If you want to eat "healthy," cook your own food or just go to places like Coolgreens.

The key is moderation. Going out to eat and splurging once a week won't kill you. But a daily diet of that kind of food will.

[Bunty]

Rather than a fast food tax, I would prefer to see our city government address this by adding more sidewalks, increasing landscaping and tree cover in the metro, creating more outdoor spaces from amphitheaters to sporting parks, and giving tax incentives to businesses that develop with a focus on mixed-use pedestrian-friendly development as opposed to a giant big box surrounded by a sea of concrete.

Higher prices on junk food thru taxes or prices works super for me. Since Wal-Mart took out their .25 soda pop machines I don't buy it any more. Their machines now want .75.