20 most sedentary cities in America
Americans are notoriously sedentary - and we have the heft and health problems to show for it. But citizens in some cities are a lot more sedentary than others, according to Men's Health. The magazine looked at exercise and TV viewing habits in cities across the country and then cross-checked the data against CDC data on each city's incidence of deep vein thrombosis, a potentially lethal blood clot that can be caused by inactivity.
So which cities are most sedentary? Click to find out...20. Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville kicks off our top 20 list. Maybe residents watch too many horse races, like the town's Kentucky Derby, rather than doing something active - like riding a horse. Time to take the reins, Louisvillians?
19. Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln is home to the storied University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. But folks in town don't seem to do much husking - or any other form of exercise, for that matter.
18. Toledo, Ohio
The fourth-largest city in Ohio appears to be the least active in the entire state. Way to aim high, Toledo. Only 17 cities were more sedentary, according to the Men's Health rankings.
17. Omaha, Nebraska
The home of famed investor Warren Buffett might want to invest a bit more time in exercise. Omaha finished seventeenth on the list.
16. Fort Wayne, Indiana
A city known for its annual four-day BBQ Rib Fest recently started a Fort4Fitness festival that aims to teach residents to improve their health habits. Will that get Fort Wayne off the lazy list?
15. Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls, the largest city in South Dakota, is also the fastest growing. But judging from its fifteenth-place finish, its citizens aren't the fastest moving.
14. Wichita, Kansas
Wichita has been active in the fast food industry - it's the home of the nation's first White Castle and Pizza Hut restaurants. But the ranking suggests people who live there could get a bit more active physically.
13. Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis' most famous citizen, Elvis Presley, wasn't exactly a model for healthy habits. And Memphis residents have other things do to there besides exercise - like pigging out at what claims to the the world's largest pork barbecue cooking contest.
12. Corpus Christi, Texas
The "Sparkling City By the Bay" is also one of the windiest coastal cities in America. Maybe people in Corpus Christi should take up wind-surfing to get a bit more exercise.
11. Charlotte, North Carolina
Cars are big in Charlotte, a hub of auto racing and the home of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. But with an eleventh place finish in the rankings, maybe Charlotte residents ought to get out of their cars and walk.
10. Birmingham, Alabama
You can't spell Birmingham without spelling h-a-m. And fatty food is celebrated in this Alabama city. Too bad exercise doesn't seem to be. It came in tenth in the rankings.
9. Laredo, Texas
This town's residents apparently need to spend more time walking the "Streets of Laredo."
8. Nashville, Tennessee
The word "exercise" apparently isn't music to the ears of people living in Music City.
7. Little Rock, Arkansas
Arkansas' biggest city seems to have a little appetite for physical activity.
6. Tulsa, Oklahoma
On its official website, Tulsa is touted as "a great place to live, work, and
play." But what do they play in Tulsa? Video games?
5. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Oklahoma's capital came in fifth on the sedentary city list. Basketball fans may know the city for the Thunder franchise, which in an ironic twist of fate, moved from the number one most active city on the Men's Health list - Seattle.
4. Charleston, West Virginia
Residents of Charleston have access to the Kanawha State Forest, but they sure don't seem to spend much time on hiking trails. The city finished fourth on the list of most sedentary cities.
3. Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is known as the City With Soul - famous for its gospel, R&B, and blues musicians. Wouldn't you sing the blues if you lived in the nation's third-most sedentary city?
2. Indianapolis, Indiana
Start your engines? Maybe let them idle is more like it. The home of the Indy 500 has citizens who are less active than those of any other city but one.
1. Lexington, Kentucky
Is Lexington the nation's laziest city? Though it has more 100 parks, its citizens seem less motivated to move than those of any other city.