Cities Where Fast-Food Reigns:  

While the State Meat of Texas could be steak, the residents of Arlington apparently prefer their beef ground and round -- with fries. And if they can't find a burger (unlikely, given the density of drive-thrus), they're just as happy to speed-eat a burrito. Even though authentic Mexican is everywhere, Arlingtonians keep seven Taco Bells in business.

 

 

 

Interactive Map: America's Urban Waistlands

We started our search for America's fast-food addicts by tallying the number of McDonald's, Burger Kings, Wendy's, and Taco Bells per capita. Next, we factored in the percentage of people who visit fast-food restaurants (Experian Simmons) and those who consume fast food seven or more times a month (SimplyMap). Finally, we went to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the number of people who are obese, and to see who's eating the fewest fruits and vegetables.

Welcome to Arlington.

Start a neighborhood watch
There may be a predator lurking near your city's schools. A study in the American Journal of Public Health found that students who spend their school days within half a mile of a fast-food restaurant are 11 percent more likely to be obese than kids who aren't near a Wendy's or any of her greasy brothers. The solution? Go to your city's Web site to find contact info for your local zoning board. (It's usually listed under "Boards and Commissions.") Then write to the board about keeping the burger pushers far away.

Trade down
If you must order from the fast-food menu, at least try to keep your meal's calorie total in triple digits. The key is to view the menu as a series of suggestions, rather than as a take-it-or-leave-it list of belt breakers. For example, asking for barbecue sauce instead of mayonnaise on a BK Whopper can save 90 calories. 

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