Food, Fitness, Obesity and Diabetes in the Bronx

1
Food, Fitness, Obesity and Diabetesin the Bronx

• Jane Bedell, MD
• Assistant Commissioner
• Bronx District Public Health Office
• NYC Dept of Health Mental Hygiene

2
What is Obesity?

• Determined by Body Mass Index (BMI)
• Height and Weight are used to calculate BMI
• Adults
• Overweight BMI between 25 and 29.9
• Obese BMI of 30 or higher
• Children
• Takes gender and age into account
• Overweight BMI between the 85th and 95th
  percentiles
• Obesity BMI in the 95th percentile or higher

3
Why do we care??

• Obesity Increases the Risk of
• Diabetes
• High Blood Pressure
• High Cholesterol
• Some cancers
• Heart Disease
• Sleep Apnea / Sleep Disorders
• Arthritis
• Premature Death

4
NYC Kids Are Increasingly Overweight or Obese
Only Half of NYCs Elementary School Children
Are at a Healthy Weight
More than 4 in 10 are overweight or obese in
Grades K-5
5
Diabetes in Children

• 1/3 to ½ of todays 5 year olds will develop
  diabetes in their lifetime 1
• Narayan et al. Lifetime risk of diabetes in the
  United States.
• JAMA. 2003 2901884-1890.

6
Public High School Students in the South Bronx
are More Likely to Be Obese than are Their Peers
in the City
7
South Bronx High Schools Students Physical
Activity and Nutrition Status (2005)
Source YRBS 2005.
8
South Bronx Public High School Students Attend
Fewer PE Classes
The South Bronx does not
contribute to Bronx and NYC proportions
9
Phys inactivity obesity diabetes

• cardiovascular disease/ESRD/other

10
(No Transcript)
11
Within the Bronx, the South Bronx has the Highest
Proportion of Adult Obesity
12
Many S Bx Adults Do Not Get Enough Exercise and
Nearly All Consume Less than the Recommended
Amount of Fruits and Vegetables
13
Diabetes Prevalence in NYCUp 2½x in the Past
DecadeAdults with Self-Reported Diabetes, NYC,
1994-2003
Reporting Diabetes
14
The South Bronx and the Bronx Have High Rates of
Diabetes (2004)
Source CHS 2004.
15
(No Transcript)
16
Diabetes in Children

• 1/3 to ½ of todays 5 year olds in the Bronx will
  develop diabetes in their lifetime 1
• Narayan et al. Lifetime risk of diabetes in the
  United States.
• JAMA. 2003 2901884-1890.

17
Opportunities

• Build on Bronx history and past accomplishments
• Momentum growing
• Opportunity for lasting changes in schools, the
  built environment, traffic patterns, and
  resulting changes in behaviors

18
Thanks.

• Jane Bedell, MD
• Assistant Commissioner
• Bronx District Public Health Office
• jbedell_at_health.nyc.gov