What does this measure?

The percentage of adults with a Body Mass Index greater than 25, based on a national survey of residents. The index is a statistical measurement which compares a person's weight and height. It does not measure body fat but is a useful estimate of a healthy body weight based on a person’s height. A person with a BMI between 25 and 30 is considered overweight, and those over 30 are considered obese.

Why is this important?

Being overweight or obese puts a person at greater risk for a wide variety of health problems, including heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, some types of cancer and sleep apnea. Obesity is recognized as a national problem that has grown tremendously over the last three decades. Since 1980, the percentage of adults who were overweight or obese has quadrupled.

How is the Greater Capital Region performing?

In 2003, the national survey found 54% of Albany County residents were overweight or obese, the lowest percentage in the Greater Capital Region and below the state rate of 57% and the national rate of 60%. Rates in Rensselaer and Saratoga counties were above the state rate at 59%, while Schenectady County had the highest rate in the region at 61%. Schoharie, Delaware and Otsego residents had an overweight/obese rate of 61% (survey results were aggregated because of small populations were surveyed). The local, state and national rates are far above the Healthy People 2010 target of having no more than 40% of the population overweight or obese.

Albany County also had the lowest obesity rate at 19%, compared to 21% for Saratoga and the state, 23% for Schenectady and Schoharie, Delaware and Otsego, and 24% for Rensselaer. The rates are all above the Healthy People 2010 target of no more than 15%.

Notes about the data

Data come from a federal government surveys designed to collect scientific data on health risks and behaviors. Respondents were asked for their height and weight for a computation of Body Mass Index. County-level data were not available for any year but 2003, but new data are expected to be released in fall 2009.