NEWS: And the Fattest City Is........ Houston, Texas

Houston Texas has the dubious distinction of being named the fattest city for the fourth time in five years. One culprit is the fact that Houston has twice the national average of fast food establishments. Other factors included high humidity and long commute times for the city.



Obesity may the next black plague at least here in the United States. The health care costs alone when you factor in the associated diseases are staggering. Hardees, a fast food chain, just announced the creation of their extreme burger. The multi patty, multi cheese sandwich contains well over 1400 calories. Clearly not a heart healthy choice.

Weight problems in the US means money for the pharmaceuticals to treat health related problems, and money for the diet industry that sell miracle pills and diets.

Fat is a big business, and to profitable, for the government to do anything about it.

So as long as is money to big make the fast food industry will not lose sleep about how fat your are.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - His recovery was slowed because of an infection, but a man who once weighed half a ton may soon leave a hospital after losing more than 450 pounds.

Patrick Deuel, 42, is scheduled to go home to Valentine, Neb., on Jan. 22. He is still receiving treatment at a Sioux Falls hospital for a staph infection he got in November.

Deuel said he isn't worried about returning to a former lifestyle of overeating. He will have health aides at home and a doctor will check on him regularly.

"I've learned a lot while I've been here," he told reporters Tuesday. "I'll just keep doing what I've been doing, and I think things will be fine."

Deuel weighed 1,072 pounds when he checked into Avera McKennan Hospital in June. At the time, he was dying of heart failure. His doctor recommended gastric-bypass surgery but Deuel wasn't healthy enough to undergo the procedure.

The hospital staff structured an exercise program and a 1,200-calorie-a-day diet. The 420 pounds Deuel lost by late October helped control his heart problems and other health issues, including diabetes, and the stomach surgery was performed Oct. 26.

Deuel, who relies on Medicare to pay his hospital bills, can't stay at the hospital indefinitely.

He now weighs about 650 pounds and hopes eventually to slim down to 240 pounds.

A tube that provides extra protein actually has slowed his weight loss. He has lost just 41 pounds since the gastric-bypass surgery.


even for american standards

That level of weight loss is [pretty nasty. They have tons of exrta skin that has to be taken off at somepoint in thier loss.

And what city was it that ruined Houston's five-year streak? DETROIT! Go home town!

Anyway, maybe with the help of www.smallstep.gov... people will be getting in better shape. I've already lost seven pounds since Christmas!

Sweet, I'm from the fattest AND the most polluted city in the country!

Oh, and Halliburton and Enron are based here....fat, polluted, and evil. Ahh yes.

Ah yes, Texas which boasts about 4 of the top 5 most obese cities in the US...with Detroit MI completing the top 5 honors.
Check out the movie Supersize Me!...lots of interesting facts and lots of footage of lots of fat folks.

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This overeating trend really burns me too. The drug companies and the health industry make $$$$---while those of us with healthcare foot the bill and those of us without healthcare are less likely to afford the spiralling costs.