Obesity in New York

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Obesity and overweight pose enormous challenges for New Yorkers.

• •One in four New Yorkers is obese.ⁱ
• •One in three New York children is obese or overweight.ⁱⁱ
• •Obesity and overweight are linked to more than 20 major chronic diseases, like heart disease, diabetes,
    and cancer.ⁱⁱⁱ
• •Nationwide, one in three children born in 2000 will develop diabetes over the course of a lifetime.^iv
• •New York State will spend approximately $9.9 billion on adult obesity-related health problems in 2011,
    and $136.3 billion over the 10-year period from 2011 to 2020.^v

What is obesity?

Individuals who are obese have a weight that is greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height^vi.

An adult whose height to weigh ratio (BMI) is 30 or higher is considered obese. ^viiAmong children, obesity is defined by having a weight to height ratio that is higher than that of 95% of children that age and sex. Learn more about obesity from the CDC.

What Contributes to Obesity?

• Americans have doubled their spending on prepared foods, which tend to be high in fat and calories^ix.
• In some neighborhoods, it is cheaper and easier to purchase unhealthy foods^x.
• Portion sizes have grown in size^xi.
• Unhealthy foods are aggressively marketed to children^xii.
• Many adults work at jobs where they are sedentary.
• People live in neighborhoods designed for driving instead of active transit^xiv.
• Many families, particularly in low income areas, lack access to safe places to play and exercise^xv.

More about obesity in NYS

New York State Department of Health Obesity Web Pages
NYS Prevention Agenda Priority Area: Physical Activity and Nutrition
New York City Department of Health
NYSDOH Information for Action: Dual Epidemics of Obesity and Diabetes