The survey examined diet and exercise

The Scottish city edged out its east coast rival Edinburgh by the slenderest of margins in the study conducted for a magazine.

London was named as the "fittest" city in the country, with people eating more fruit and vegetables and recording a lower rate of heart disease.

The survey by Men's Fitness magazine ranked 22 cities according to people's diet, obesity, activity levels, heart disease and amenities.

Glasgow retained the top position it held when the magazine ran a similar survey 18 months ago.

THE TEN FATTEST CITIES Glasgow Edinburgh Stoke-on-Trent Liverpool Wolverhampton Manchester Swansea Belfast Birmingham Derby

"The message does not seem to be getting through in Glasgow," said the magazine's deputy editor Andy Dixon.

"The general problem is a diet that forgoes fruit and vegetables in favour of fast food."

However, the survey also found that one in 11 Glaswegians was a member of a gym.

It also pointed to the launch of a �1.75m healthy eating campaign this year.

Glasgow City Council said it was "putting a great deal of effort into a wide range of activities to tackle Glasgow's serious health and deprivation problems".

"We have introduced healthy eating programmes into our schools, and pioneered free fruit in primary and nursery schools and free swimming for young people," said a spokesman.

'Inappropriate diet'

Edinburgh slumped down the rankings after being placed 10th in the 2001 survey.

Councillor Steve Cardownie said: "We do recognise that people should take more exercise.

"Health problems caused by a lack of exercise combined with an inappropriate diet affect the whole of Scotland."