From the Gallup website: "In addition to monitoring healthy behaviors, the Gallup-Healthways daily tracking includes measures of access to several conditions important to a healthy lifestyle: accessibility of fresh fruits and vegetables, having a safe place to exercise, having enough money to buy food, and having health insurance.
Eight of the 10 most obese areas rank in the bottom two-thirds of all places measured in terms of easy access to fruits and vegetables and nine rank in the bottom two-thirds for having a safe place to exercise."
Poverty is also a significant factor for these cities.
Thanks to Richard Florida
Comments
Disappointing article on causes of obesity
Once again, those writing on public health issues continue to focus on the evident/superficial/ aspects that affect health while missing the land use aspect...why is this? No mention of land use in article....is the smart growth community missing this conversation? 'Lifestyle' is linked to 'exercise', as in driving to the gym or recreational cycling...not everyday walking, biking, or 'running to catch the bus' (which can be hazardous, though...best to wait for the next one)
Irvin Dawid, Palo Alto, CA
Probably wouldn't help anyhow
Although the ten worst places are not tremendously walkable, the same is true for so much of the USA that the link between unwalkability and obesity (if one exists), is more likely to be unearthed by a look at the "best" places rather than the "worst."
All Indicators of Obesity.
I agree that these indicators are likely not enough to drive policy to meaningfully change the obesity epidemic, but they are what is measured.
IMHO we don't have long-term, widespread metrics to understand those places to which people self-sort to obtain walkability/amenities. It's doable, sure, but we don't have it now. You have to go with what you have.
Best,
D