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Healthiest Airports in the United States
In
time for summer travel, nutritionists with the
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
(PCRM) surveyed 14 of the nation's busiest airports
for availability of healthy entrees. The report
shows that airport food has improved from previous
years, offering 12 percent more eateries providing
at least one vegetarian entree that is low in
fat, high in fiber, and cholesterol free.
Did your hometown airport make the cut? Chicago
O'Hare International Airport flies high in first
place this year with a score of 92 percent,
rising from fourth place last year and the bottom
of the list in 2002. Phoenix Sky Harbor International
Airport is this year's most improved airport
with a score that rose from 44 percent last
year to 75 percent in the current survey. Las
Vegas McCarren International, while improving
nine points from last year, still sits on the
tarmac with the lowest score, 42 percent.
"Travelers facing flight delays or long
layovers will at least be able to find healthy
vegetarian meals in most major airports,"
says Tim Radak, Dr.P.H., R.D., associate nutrition
director at PCRM. "As a nutritionist, I
know that grabbing a veggie burger can help
travelers stay trim and improve their health."
Nutritionists evaluated the restaurants in the
nation's busiest airports, giving each restaurant
a point if its menu included at least one low-fat,
high-fiber, cholesterol-free vegetarian entree.
The final percentage score was derived by dividing
the airport's number of health-conscious restaurants
by the total number of eateries.
|
Airport |
Score |
| 1.
Chicago O'Hare |
92% |
| 2.
Detroit Metropolitan |
89% |
| 3.
San Francisco |
88% |
| 4.
New York |
83% |
| 5.
Dallas/Fort Worth |
81% |
| 6.
Denver |
78% |
| 7.
Atlanta |
77% |
| 8.
Orlando |
76% |
| 9.
Newark |
75% |
| 10.
Phoenix |
75% |
| 11.
Los Angeles |
69% |
| 12.
Minneapolis-St. Paul |
68% |
| 13.
Houston |
46% |
| 14.
Las Vegas |
42% |
But
even the top-rated airports have significant
room for improvement. Some airports have no
more than a single healthy choice, and more
variety would be good. The best choices are
low fat and vegetarian.
Founded in 1985, the Physicians
Committee for Responsible Medicine is a
nonprofit health organization that promotes
preventive medicine, especially good nutrition.
PCRM also conducts clinical research studies,
opposes unethical human experimentation, and
promotes alternatives to animal research.
(Source:
PCRM) |
