What's Good
- Mayor Bill White participates in more fitness-related events than most mayors.
- He also sets a positive example, exercising as much as 5 days per week.
- Texas has "snack tax" laws aimed at reducing obesity and improving nutrition.
- Texas is one of 28 states that participates in a CDC-sponsored program to reduce obesity and other chronic diseases.
- Houston residents are slightly more likely than average to actually use their gym or health-club memberships, according to our comparison of membership trends and club use, including machine use, exercising with weights, cardio classes, yoga and martial arts, among others.
- Infomercial producers take note: aerobic rider machines are all the rage in Houston. People here are 134 percent more likely than average to use them.
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What Isn't
- Texas state law limits or prohibits obesity-related lawsuits against food manufacturers and restaurants.
- The local commute is much more oppressive than in most cities - 35 percent more oppressive than average, leaving less time to exercise and prepare healthy meals. Commuter stress may also raise levels of cortisol, a hormone linked to weight gain and other health problems.
- In a CDC survey, 31 percent of adults said they hadn't had any leisure time exercise in the past month. The average in our survey is 23 percent
- Temperatures in Houston top 90 degrees 100 days a year, making outdoor exercise less comfortable.
- Air quality here is among the most unhealthful of any city in our survey, according to EPA air quality standards. Unhealthy air makes outdoor exercise dangerous.
- Donuts are 121 percent more popular here than average, according to a comparison of places that sell the fat-fried, sugar-coated breakfast food. Houston has the 8th highest number of donut shops per capita in our survey.
- There are 55 percent fewer tennis courts per capita here than average among cities in our survey.
- Golfers are limited to 7 public courses. Relative to population, that's less than almost anywhere else we surveyed.
- Basketball courts are practically nonexistent here, among the fewest per capita in our survey. There's just one court here for every 13,076 residents; the national average is one court per 7,260 people.
- Houston residents are 92 percent less likely than average to go cross-country skiing. That's the 4th lowest rate in our survey.
- Just 1 percent of Houston residents practice martial arts, the 4th lowest participation rate in our survey.
- Just 2 percent of Houston residents have a home gym. That's 41 percent less than average, and the 4th lowest rate in our survey.
- The residents of Houston are 89 percent less likely than average to be found snowshoeing, the 4th lowest in our survey.
- Houston residents are 39 percent less likely than average to go in-line skating. That's the 3rd lowest in our survey.
- Houston residents are 44 percent less likely than average to play soccer - the 3rd lowest rate in our survey.
- Houston dwellers are 66 percent less likely to participate in gymnastics, the 2nd lowest rate in our survey.
- Residents of Houston are 38 percent less likely than average to participate in spinning type cycling classes, the 2nd lowest rate of any city in our survey.
- Even table tennis doesn't get takers here - residents are 39 percent less likely than average to play table tennis - the lowest rate in our survey.
- Houston has the lowest cheerleading participation rate of any city in our survey, 93 percent lower than average.
- Houston residents are 35 percent less likely than average to shoot recreational hoops, the lowest participation rate of any city in our survey.
- Just 5 percent of Houston residents play golf. That's 48 percent less than average and the lowest rate in our survey.
- Only 1.5 percent of kids in Houston get exercise by riding scooters, the lowest in our survey.
- Only about 0.1 percent of Houston residents play roller hockey. That's the lowest rate in our survey.
- Residents are 26 percent less likely than average to bowl - the lowest rate of any city in our survey.
- Residents of Houston are 96 percent less likely than average to go snowboarding - the lowest rate in our survey.
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