The Student Weight Status Category Reporting System (SWSCR) collects weight status category data (underweight, healthy weight, overweight or obese, based on BMI-for-age percentile). The dataset includes separate estimates of the percent of students overweight, obese and overweight or obese for all reportable grades within the county and/or region and by grade groups (elementary and middle/high).

This layered map shows the locations of Creating Healthy Places interventions that are targeted towards children and the percentage of students (elementary, middle, and high school) who are obese (95th percentile or higher) by county (source: Student Weight Status Category Reporting System). The purpose of the Creating Healthy Places initiative is to implement community level interventions to promote healthy lifestyles to prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes. The lighter shaded counties have a lower percentage of obese students. The darker shaded counties have a higher percentage of obese students. This map can help identify areas that could benefit from more community level and school level interventions like the ones implemented through the Creating Healthy Places Initiative. The "About" tab contains additional details concerning this dataset.

Note: This dataset is no longer updated. Refer to the dataset in the featured content. The Student Weight Status Category Reporting System (SWSCR) collects weight status category data (underweight, healthy weight, overweight or obese, based on BMI-for-age percentile) at school entry (pre-kindergarten or kindergarten) and in grades 2, 4, 7 and 10 for students attending all public schools outside of the five boroughs of New York City.

Because of restrictions in reporting due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) there was wide variation in how much of the student population was represented in the data schools submitted during 2008-2010. Therefore the percentage of the student population represented in the county-level estimates varies from county to county. This limits researchers' ability to draw absolute conclusions about observed differences in student weight status among counties.

For more information check out http://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/obesity/.