montgomery county today
23
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Not Overweight or Obese (BMI 24.9 or less)
Overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9)
Obese (BMI 30.0-99.8)
Childhood obesity is especially troubling because, for
starters, the habits that children have are hard to reverse as
they grow older. Additionally, childhood obesity is linked to
not only physical health problems, but emotional problems,
learning disabilities, and school performance as well.
Educational institutions statewide report to the state’s
Department of Health on the student population’s body mass
index (BMI) grouped by grade levels. In the 2010-2011
school year, nearly 15% of Montgomery County students in
grades K-6 were considered overweight (having a BMI in
the 85th-95th percentiles) and 13% were considered obese
(greater than the 95th percentile). In grades 7-12, these
numbers rose to nearly 17% and 14% of the overall student
population, respectively. These levels have stayed fairly
consistent since measuring BMI in students from grades K-
12 became mandatory in the 2007-2008 school year.
A hurdle to staying healthy is inadequate or infrequent
access to the county’s recreational areas. Even though
there are parks in each of the county’s 62 municipalities, as
well as playgrounds, playing fields, and private
recreational facilities across the county, not everyone takes
advantage of these opportunities. Perceived or real issues
of safety, accessibility, or a lack of play equipment or
playing fields can prevent people from taking full
advantage of the outdoors.
FIGURE 21:
New Diabetes Cases—Rate per 1,000 Adults (ages 18-76), Pennsylvania: 1996-2010
Source: Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Sur-
veillance System
FIGURE 22:
Adult Weight Classification by Body Mass Index (BMI)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
