1. Houston, TX

2. Chicago, IL

3. Detroit, MI

4. Philadelphia, PA

5. St. Louis, MO

6. Cleveland, OH

7. Atlanta, GA

8. Columbus, OH

9. Dalas, TX

10. Charlotte, NC

From Men's Fitness magazine - February 2003. This their fifth year of making an annual report on the fitness (or lack there of) around the country. I have lived in both #2 and #3. I would like to quote - for my friends in Chicago - what MF says regarding the Windy City and its obesity problem.

Chicago - Big Shoulders, Bigger Waistlines - No city in the U.S. has weather worse than Chicago's, but it makes those stunning spring days (all six of them) more special. The Windy City also blows it in commute time, open spaces and air and water (it's not only freezing, it's polluted). Smoking is still a popular pastime here, and obesity levels are nearly double those in Colorado. Blame the Cubs, or blame the double-double cheesburgers, deep-dish pizza, Eli's cheescake and rainbow cones.

Some residents have taken their workouts indoors, where they are fervent users of stationary bikes and ski machines. For others, the price of parking trumps the weather, making recreational walking popular. But too often the destination is the TV, not the gym.

To its credit, the city is promoting several health-based initiatives. mayor Richard M. Daley's KidStart Program and the "Eat Like a Champion" campaign focus on child obesity; the former drew 30,000 kids to its "Camp Chicago" last summer. "Promoturas de Salud" and "Reach 02010" target ethnic populations that are particularly overweight, and the elderly have 48 venues offering fitness programs designed especially for them.

Chicago's Report Card

Healthy habits - D

Fat factors - C

Deadly sins - C-

Air and Water - F

Natural environment - D

Urban attributes - D+