Indy actually comes in first in new study! (Indianapolis: co-ops, hotels)

[IndyTruth]

Great read. This should be required reading for people considering moving to Indy. Take it from someone who has lived here for the last 4 years after previously living in louisville, atlanta, d.c. and chicago.

The 10 Most Unhealthy Cities in America

[wh15395]

What a joke. So basically, Indy is number one because there is a 30% smoking rate? I guess that really just speaks to the culture here. We are such a dynamic city that you feel like you're somehow in Europe and Asia at the same time.

Who Smokes Most: A surprising map of smoking rates by country

[sweetana3]

The info on Japan was weird. When we were there for a month,we saw no one smoking, saw no cigarette buts anywhere. We had no issues in hotels, restaurants, shopping or transportation. I figured they must have done something positive about their amount of smoking.

Perhaps it is done in bars and at home. We did have a huge problem in a hotel that catered to Japanese in Thailand. They even sold cigarettes in the room.

My normal comment on these articles is that they are shallow and done only for shock value.

[Toxic Toast]

I am not sure this silly list is any more of a required read for people than any of the other silly lists that show up on the city data. From my experience, this list only points out the growing gulf between the haves and the have-nots in Indianapolis. When I am out and about in more affluent parts of the city, I always see people exercising, visiting the local food co-ops and farmer markets for produce, and generally staying under obese body weights. When I am out and about in some of the more demographically challenged areas of Indianapolis, I see a lot of overweight chain smokers and empty park trails. It would be interesting, from an analytic perspective, to see what the demographic breakdown is on the "research" they gathered for all these communities.

[IndieIndy]

Rubbish, you are only as healthy as you want to be, it has nothing to do with what city you live in.

[IndyTruth]

Originally Posted by IndieIndy

Rubbish, you are only as healthy as you want to be, it has nothing to do with what city you live in.

I tend to agree with that, but Indy is severely lacking in access to public parks when compared with similar cities such as Louisville and Cincinnati. This coupled with a lack of public transportation that would help facilitate a more pedestrian society are barriers that help keep a portion of the populace from getting any significant exercise. Could they do it on their own? Sure, but the city is not designed to help with that in any significant way.

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by IndyTruth

I tend to agree with that, but Indy is severely lacking in access to public parks when compared with similar cities such as Louisville and Cincinnati.

This idea that Louisville has superior parks to Indianapolis is laughable. (at least in my experience)

[IndyTruth]

You obviously have never spent a significant amount of time in Louisville. They have a wonderful public park system with huge parks connecting large portions of the city. The park system in Louisville dates back to the 1890s and was designed by Frederick Olmsted who created Central Park. The three flagship parks Cherokee, Iroquois, and Shawnee are all better than any park in Indianapolis.


http://www.louisvilleky.gov/NR/rdonl...ndout_2_09.jpg


Our Parks | Frederick Law Olmsted Parks

[Toxic Toast]

Originally Posted by IndyTruth

You obviously have never spent a significant amount of time in Louisville.

You don't know me, and you don't need to tell me that I've not spent any time in Louisville. I have many friends in the city and have considered moving there.

[IndyTruth]

Having "friends in the city" and "considering moving there" doesn't mean you are an expert on a particular city. I have friends in many cities, but I don't claim to be an expert on their public parks systems.

Take it from someone who has spent a significant amount of time in both cities. Louisville wins. No competition.