A WEIGHTY ISSUE

New York City seems to have weight on the brain. Out of the 50-plus free services offered by the city’s Health and Hospitals Corp. every Tuesday this month, three of them deal specifically with weight: “Weight Loss Options,” “Weight Management for Children” and “Weight Management Screenings.” These, in conjunction with Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s recently proposed ban on trans fat, could be seen as the city’s attempt to make its citizens more weight-conscious; or maybe officials are just nervous about ending up on Men’s Fitness’ list of the top fattest cities in America for the sixth year in a row. The 2006 results, which placed New York as the 25th fattest, were gathered between August and October 2005. That year, the magazine considered new components in its judging, including how city leaders promoted the health of citizens through obesity-related legislation. If Bloomberg’s legislative push on trans fat goes through, New York could break its fat streak. And if the ban doesn’t work, maybe New York can follow Baltimore’s lead: the city—known for its fried fish variations—moved from 25th fattest in 2005 to number one fittest in 2006. The lesson here: Pass the crab cakes.