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New Haven Health Atlas: Overweight and Obesity
Overweight and obese individuals are at increased risk for many diseases and health conditions, including the following: hypertension (high blood pressure), osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint), dyslipidemia (i.e. high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides), type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea, and some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon).
Most consider overweight and obesity result from an energy imbalance where one consumes more calories than are burned off through daily activity and exercise. This balance, and an individual’s ultimate body weight is driven by multiple factors including genes, metabolism, behavior, environment, culture, and socioeconomic status. Behavior and environment are major contributors to the steady increase of overweight and obesity over the past 30 years. These factors thus present the greatest opportunity to stem the growing epidemic.
Prevalence of Overweight in Adults
Headlines
- More than half of the New Haven adult population is overweight.
- Prevalence of overweight is high across all race/ethnic groups, however in New Haven’s Black adult population has the highest prevalence of overweight (includes obesity).
Data: Percentage of adults Age 18+ at a healthy weight (normal weight or underweight), 1998-2003
- 44% - New Haven
Comparisons
- 60% - HP2010 Goal (20 years or older)
Source: BRFSS, HP2010
Data: Percentage of Adults Age 18+ who are overweight by race/ethnicity, 1998-2003
- 48% - White, not Hispanic
- 75% - Black, not Hispanic
- 56% - Hispanic
Source: BRFSS
Prevalence of Obesity in Adults
Headlines
- New Haven’s adult obesity prevalence is eight percentage points higher than the HP2010 Goal. All race/ethnicity groups have obesity prevalence higher than the HP2010 goal.
- Obesity prevalence in the Black adult population is two times the prevalence in New Haven’s White adults.
Data: Percentage of Adults Age 18+ Who are Obese (Body Mass Index ≥30), by race/ethnicity, 1998-2003
- 23% - New Haven, All Adults
- 17% - New Haven Adults, White, not Hispanic
- 35% - New Haven Adults, Black, not Hispanic
- 24% - New Haven Adults, Hispanic
Comparisons
- 15% - HP2010 Goal
Source: BRFSS
Prevalence of High Blood Pressure in Adults
Headlines
- Among New Haven's Black population, the self-reported high blood pressure prevalence is 1.5 times higher than the city average.
Data: Percentage of Adults Age 18+ Told they have High Blood Pressure, 1999, 2001, 2003
- 30% - New Haven
- 25% - Hartford
- 33% - Bridgeport
- 28% - Connecticut
Source: BRFSS
Additional Resources
File:CDC Healthy Communities LocalGov Presentation 2010 sml.pdf
