Baltimore surprised to be 'fittest city'
 

BALTIMORE, Maryland (AP) -- When an annual survey named Baltimore the fittest city in America, many Charm City residents had the same response: You gotta be kidding.

Sure, people here are known for eating lots of seafood, but are crab cakes and deep-fried lake trout the staples of a healthy diet?

"I think it's probably the most mis-fit city in America," said Charisse Bailey as she dug into a typical Baltimore lunch: fried red snapper on thick white bread, with a side of french fries and a beer.

The city's skyline is dotted with neon signs advertising Domino sugar, Utz potato chips and National Bohemian beer. And while many neighborhoods, such as Fells Point and Federal Hill, have been transformed by an influx of young professionals, a Friday night visit to either reveals a culture that revolves around drinking and greasy food.

There's no fucking way that is accurate. I guess LA wasn't included in this survey.

Dre

im from uk, how do you eat a deeb fried trout, it aint filleted, so its full of bones, surely gonna be more work than its worth.....

ev

...yeah that doesnt sound right. Baltimore is like Detroit...no way a city full of chunky, lower-middle class black folks gonna be considered fittest...

Men's Fitness magazine placed Baltimore at the top of its annual list of cities where fitness is king, ahead of Honolulu (No. 2 for the second consecutive year), San Francisco (No. 7) and last year's winner, Seattle (No. 8).

The fattest city in America for 2006 is Chicago, taking over the dubious honor from Houston.

I was recently up there for business. I would say the fix is in.

I think it's because of all the meth and running from cops:)

ROFL....I just got back from Baltimore last night (I lived there for 23 years)...and I swear I have never seen a city with more overweight middle aged women in my entire life. I live in LA now, and dont see how Men's Fitness could have possibly gathered their data

actually Bmores king of Heroin :thumbsup

Baltimore residents seemingly would have had an easier time believing the Men's Health ranking. When told of the Men's Fitness honor, they invariably reacted with shock, bewilderment or outright laughter.

I just don't see how that's possible either...

Last year, Baltimore was closer to Houston than it was to Honolulu, checking in as the 25th-fattest city in the Men's Fitness tally.

How could such a turnaround be possible in the span of a year? Men's Fitness editor Neal Boulton is quick to point out that the survey is far from scientific, and he says it took additional factors into account this year that worked in Baltimore's favor.

Among them: the amount of public park space, access to health care, air quality, the relatively small number of fast-food restaurants and the leadership of Mayor Martin O'Malley. Boulton says Baltimore has become safer, more prosperous and more conducive to fitness.

"Baltimore is a paragon of urban renewal. That's why it's the fittest city, that's why it's the comeback city," he said.