New NC Obesity and Physical Activity Maps Released
Posted Monday, April 9, 2007
To provide local health officials with information they can use to identify areas of success and concern as they work to reduce rates of obesity in their communities, the N.C. Division of Public Health has compiled maps showing each count’s percentage of overweight and obese adults, as well their percentage of adults meeting daily physical activity requirements.
Using data from the 2005 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), North Carolina counties have been color-coded according to the percentage of adults in that county reporting a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or higher. A BMI of 25 or higher indicates that a person is likely overweight or obese and may be at increased risk for a variety of chronic diseases. An additional color-coded map indicates the percentages of adults meeting daily physical activity requirements throughout the state.