New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. issued the following statement today about the New York City Department of Education’s announcement about the creation of a new Office of Fitness and Health Education:

“Children must be provided with healthy choices and proper guidance that will serve their long-term best interests. Approximately 24 percent of New York City’s elementary school students are obese, creating grave consequences for their future health.

The Department of Education has taken a positive step forward toward identifying and addressing health issues that affect many of our youngsters today. As I noted in my office’s recent report identifying health disparities within our city, the obesity crisis, which contributes to the soaring diabetes rate and other serious chronic conditions, creates a serious need to work with children to get them started on the right footing to be able to grow up to become healthy, productive adults.”

In September, Comptroller Thompson issued a report, “Health and Wealth: Assessing and Addressing Income Disparities in the Health of New Yorkers,” which analyzed hospitalization and mortality rates in New York City neighborhoods. The analysis - available at www.comptroller.nyc.gov - examined the rates of various health condition hospitalizations and deaths by neighborhood since 1990, indicating that health disparities arise from a complex interaction of economic, social and environmental factors.

Thompson subsequently urged the Department of Education to strengthen its physical education offerings to students. He noted that according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, in 2004, 27 percent of children enrolled in Head Start programs in the city were obese and 15 percent were overweight.

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