Atlanta Ranked Most Frugal City in U.S (crimes, living)

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by arjay57

We may be looking at different people. I see lots of folks out walking, biking, jogging and generally bustling around all over town.

Although it's both an anecdote from my own experience and a statistical fact that folks in GA (and the south in general) are overweight and obese at a much higher rate than the national average, and considerably higher than some areas of the country where people are much less overweight. Coming from New England, one of the most healthy areas of the country with fewer obese and overweight folks, the higher number of very overweight people was very noticeable when we moved to Atlanta.

Maybe it's a suburban thing, but there is a large number of both young and old that are huge, and it seems to be both a black and white thing. Are they eating too much fried or fatty foods, or just sitting on the large behinds? Is it riding too much in their cars? I see people at the gym and hiking, etc., but the percentage of overweight people is definitely higher here in the south.

Anyone think I'm wrong?

http://calorielab.com/news/2010/06/2...t-states-2010/

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by neil0311

Maybe it's a suburban thing, but there is a large number of both young and old that are huge, and it seems to be both a black and white thing. Are they eating too much fried or fatty foods, or just sitting on the large behinds? Is it riding too much in their cars? I see people at the gym and hiking, etc., but the percentage of overweight people is definitely higher here in the south.

Anyone think I'm wrong?

Fattest States 2010: CalorieLab's Annual Obesity Map - State Obesity Rankings

There's no doubt that obesity is a problem in the U.S., and worse in the South.

However, Southerners are hardly alone -- while 65.3% of Georgians are overweight or obese, so are 64.1% in Maine, 63.9% in Pennsylvania, and 62.8% in New Hampshire.

Those are pretty small differences and I'm not sure many of us could spot the difference between 65.3% and 64.1% by watching people walking down the street.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by arjay57

There's no doubt that obesity is a problem in the U.S., and worse in the South.

However, Southerners are hardly alone -- while 65.3% of Georgians are overweight or obese, so are 64.1% in Maine, 63.9% in Pennsylvania, and 62.8% in New Hampshire.

Those are pretty small differences and I'm not sure many of us could spot the difference between 65.3% and 64.1% by watching people walking down the street.

I'd like to see stats for Atlanta (not Georgia) as compared to other urban areas. The vast majority of people I see when I visit places like DC, Seattle, SF, LA, Miami, etc. I recall being very trim and fit. Atlanta seems to be fatter than a lot of other major cities.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by JPD

I'd like to see stats for Atlanta (not Georgia) as compared to other urban areas. The vast majority of people I see when I visit places like DC, Seattle, SF, LA, Miami, etc. I recall being very trim and fit. Atlanta seems to be fatter than a lot of other major cities.

A lot of it depends on perception. In my neck of the woods we tend to be pretty fit, as well as well dressed and above average in intelligence.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by JPD

I'd like to see stats for Atlanta (not Georgia) as compared to other urban areas. The vast majority of people I see when I visit places like DC, Seattle, SF, LA, Miami, etc. I recall being very trim and fit. Atlanta seems to be fatter than a lot of other major cities.

And that was the "anecdote" part of my earlier comment. I travel all over, including some of the places you mention, and people in the southeast are generally much more overweight, and you also see entire families where the mom, dad, and children are all huge. Seeing the big chunky kids is especially disheartening.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by arjay57

while 65.3% of Georgians are overweight or obese, so are 64.1% in Maine, 63.9% in Pennsylvania, and 62.8% in New Hampshire.

I'd have to review the stats and how they're collected, but it's VERY hard to believe that there is only 1% to 3% difference in obesity between Maine/New Hampshire and Georgia.

[johnatl]

Most of the "large" people I know personally are Northeastern transplants.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by neil0311

I'd have to review the stats and how they're collected, but it's VERY hard to believe that there is only 1% to 3% difference in obesity between Maine/New Hampshire and Georgia.

Well, the chart you cited says they are from the CDC.

However, I think it's true that regardless of what the actual statistics may show the perception is that people in the South are generally much fatter and most likely lazier.

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by JPD

I'd like to see stats for Atlanta (not Georgia) as compared to other urban areas. The vast majority of people I see when I visit places like DC, Seattle, SF, LA, Miami, etc. I recall being very trim and fit. Atlanta seems to be fatter than a lot of other major cities.

Atlanta's the 16th fittest city in the country, 1st in the South.

ACSM | America's 50 Largest Metro Areas Get Their Annual Physical (http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Media&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=14704 - broken link)

I won't dig up the posts before, but I'm not sure which city of Atlanta you are talking about. People (particularly in the 30s and younger) are pretty fit around here. Most gyms are packed. During the warmer months the sidewalks have tons of joggers on them. I was in Piedmont Park yesterday and there were probably less loungers than there were people biking, running, roller skating, playing football, etc.

Interesting you brought up Miami though as they are a bit of a outlier. They ranked 39th on the same list. I suspect a lot of the people that are encountered in Miami that fit the perception of it being a fit city are really people just there on vacation. Every woman I know damn near starves and works themselves out to almost death before taking a vacation down there.

[darkone]

I agree that certain parts of intown boast very visable numbers of fit/in-shape people - especially the Midtown area due to the demographics. It also seems that Atlanta has a sizable former military community, possibly contributing to the number of in-shape residents. However, the suburbs are a mixed-bag, but not as bad as the rural south and other southern metro areas.

All this being said, the metro area as a whole does seem fairly "chubby" , especially after my last trip to Orange County, CA.