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Magazine ranks cities by dependence on fast food
August 20, 2009
Known for its Restaurant Report Cards that rate quick-serve restaurants according to their most and least healthiest menu items, Men's Health magazine's September issue includes a list of 100 U.S. cities graded by their number of QSRs.
Arlington, Texas, was given the title of Fast Food Capital of America, followed by Anchorage, Alaska, Charlotte, N.C.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Raleigh, N.C.; Indianapolis; Fremont, Calif.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Lexington, Ky.; and Wichita, Kan., according to a blog by Dermot Cole in Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. The cities were ranked based on the number of fast-food places per capita and research data on the popularity of those dining establishments.
The 10 cities received an F for their dependence on fast food.
The cities with the least dependence on fast food, included Pittsburgh at 98 out of 100, with Buffalo, N.Y. at 100, according to a story in the Beaver County Times. Along with Pittsburgh, Miami and Hartford, Conn., were the three cities to earn "A" grades.
From Beaver County Times:
"'We're looking at fast food only, so that doesn't mean your city isn't overindulging or falling off the nutritional wagon in other ways," Men's Health deputy editor Matt Marion said. "But still it's a good start, and one thing to closely watch.'"To calculate fast-food fondness, Men's Health tallied the number of McDonald's, Burger Kings, Wendy's and Taco Bells per capita, and then factored in the percentage of people in each city who visit fast-food restaurants according to data from research company Experian Simmons."Magazine editors then consulted SimplyMap data to determine where people consume fast food seven or more times a month. Finally, the magazine looked at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics for the number of people who are obese, and to see who's eating the fewest fruits and vegetables."
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