District of Columbia and New York: Counties With Largest Racial Disparity in Obesity Rates

Newswise — According to new research, New York and the District of Columbia top the list of counties with the greatest disparity between the percentages of black and white residents who are obese.

The study, presented at the American Public Health Association's 135th Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., looked at county-level data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) for the years 2001-2005. Counties were included for analysis if at least 25 African Americans and 25 Whites completed the BRFSS survey each year. This requirement resulted in 164 counties included in the study analysis.

Researchers found that the county with the highest disparities was the District of Columbia with a BMI disparity ratio of 1.16 and obesity disparity ratio of 3.72. In the county, the average BMI for whites was 24.4, while the average BMI for blacks was 28.2. Even more descriptive of the disparity was the finding that while only 8.4 percent of the county's white residents are obese, the number jumps to 31.3 percent when looking at black residents.

New York, the county that the study found had the lowest obesity rate at 13.5 percent, had the second highest disparities with a BMI disparity ratio of 1.16 (average white BMI " 24.1, average black BMI " 27.8) and obesity disparity ratio of 3.72. In New York, only 8.3 percent of the county's white residents are obese, while 29 percent of the black residents are obese.

Counties with minimal racial disparities in BMI and obesity included Charles, Md., Comanche, Okla., and Atlantic, N.J. In these counties, high rates of obesity were seen in both black and white residents.

Session 3285.0 - Geographic variations in obesity: A multilevel study of BRFSS data

Date: Wednesday, November 07, 2007 " 2:30 PM"3:30 PM

Researchers: Verneda Herring, BS, Sarah Niebler, MA, and David Schlundt, PhD

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