NYR iPhone app iPad app Android phone app Android tablet app More

 |  Posted: 04/11/12 12:22 PM ET  |  Updated: 04/11/12 01:16 PM ET

7 Cities With The Worst Health Woes (PHOTOS)

By Daniel Lefferts for Bookish:

Bad news for the City of Brotherly Love: According to a recent study, Philadelphia is in direly poor health—it’s ranked the least healthy city in the state of Pennsylvania, and its obesity rates and percentage of smokers are among the highest in the nation. It’s not entirely residents’ fault, though, researchers say: Access to healthy and organic foods is severely limited, and many of the city’s recreational centers are located in unsafe areas and have fallen into disuse.

Philadelphia may be having its day in the doctor’s office, but a number of other American cities are notoriously in need of a health kick, too. We looked at seven cities blighted by physical and mental health crises, and are happy to recommend a book to help each of these ailing cities set out on the road to recovery.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Obesity
1  of  8
PLAY
FULLSCREEN
ZOOM
SHARE THIS SLIDE 
Healthy eating doesn't seem to sit well with the place known for its cheesesteak. Among the 10 largest U.S. cities, Philly weighs in as the most obese, which has led city officials to propose such measures as a citywide soda tax and anti-junk-food initiatives in public schools. Researchers agree that the city's malnutrition can be linked to its poverty crisis: The temptations of cheap, good-tasting fast food are plenty. But the promise of Jonni McCoy's cookbook, "Healthy Meals for Less: Great-Tasting Simple Recipes Under $1 a Serving," is hard to refuse. McCoy shows readers how to cook easy, delicious and nutrition-rich meals that won't take up a lot of your time--and cost less than a trip to Burger King.
RATE IT!   |  
VOTE
CURRENT TOP 5 PICK YOUR OWN TOP 5
USERS WHO VOTED
NEW! CREATE YOUR OWN SLIDESHOW

Read more at Bookish

FOLLOW BOOKS

By Daniel Lefferts for Bookish: Bad news for the City of Brotherly Love: According to a recent study, Philadelphia is in direly poor health—it’s ranked the least healthy city in the state of Pe...
By Daniel Lefferts for Bookish: Bad news for the City of Brotherly Love: According to a recent study, Philadelphia is in direly poor health—it’s ranked the least healthy city in the state of Pe...
Related News On Huffington Post:
 

Read more from Huffington Post bloggers:
Bella DePaulo

Bella DePaulo: "Our Bodies, Ourselves": 40 Years on, Still Circling the Globe

There are some truths about women's health that may now seem self-evident, but perhaps would not be so obvious if it were not for the ideas espoused, starting so long ago, by "Our Bodies, Ourselves."
Alvaro Fernandez

Alvaro Fernandez: Top 11 Books for Brain Health

We've compiled the 10 Most Popular Brain Fitness & Cognitive Health Books, based on book purchases by SharpBrains' readers during 2008.
Greg Archer

Greg Archer: 'Stop Dieting and Start Loving Yourself!'

The goal for writing, "Shut Up, Skinny Bitches" was to help lead readers toward a more delicious new way of thinking about themselves and the food they consume.