Fat saturated - Tulsa is full of fast-food joints and its women are 'unhealthiest' eaters

Tulsa-area women, be on notice: You're the unhealthiest eaters in the United States.

"There are more fast-food restaurants and pizza joints per capita in Tulsa than in any city we looked at," said Sara Austin, news director for Self magazine and author of the "Best Places for Women" report, published in the December issue.

Not only are Tulsa-area women unhealthy eaters, but they're not eating enough fruits and vegetables, carrying enough health insurance, driving safely, or getting annual pap tests or dental checkups, either, she said in a recent phone interview.

"I hope women will react to this list in a positive, constructive way," Austin said. "We don't mind if they get mad, as long as they get motivated in a positive way."

Of 100 metropolitan areas examined, Tulsa ranked 94th. Oklahoma City ranked 98th.

The healthiest place to live is Honolulu, and overall unhealthiest city is Detroit.

A panel of experts came up with 40 criteria to weigh, including rates of smoking, depression, unemployment, parks, crime, disease, healthcare insurance coverage, air quality, commute time and drinking, Austin said.

"Not all data are created equal, so it takes a lot of work," she said. "This is a time and labor-intensive project, and it's fun to do."

Compiling and examining research took nearly six months, she said, and used statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services, American Hospital Association, Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Census Bureau, to name a few.

And the news isn't all bad for Tulsa. Women commute fewer than 48 minutes a day, compared with an average of 86 minutes a day in New York City.

They also breathe cleaner air than more than half the areas examined, placing Tulsa in the top fifth percentile.

However, auto deaths are 50 percent higher than the list average, and Tulsa ranks in the bottom 10 percent when it comes to maintaining dental health and getting annual pap exams, Austin said.

Then there's that "Unhealthiest Eaters" label.

Area women also eat far fewer fruits and vegetables than their counterparts in other cities, and fresh produce and farmer's markets are harder to find than in most other cities.

"That being said, eating more locally grown produce when it's in season is a good place to start," she said. "And there's a freezer aisle in every grocery store. Frozen veggies are almost as healthy as fresh. It's all good for you."