Well, honestly, this comment is only giving more credence to OP, since, apparently, the US average is 70% is much much worse than the 34% of NY.

EDIT: Haha, apparently the HN crowd is very quick to point out inconsistencies since the original comment has been up 2 minuites and there are already 3 comments pointing the same thing (and counting)

56% (22%+34%). Which is indeed lower than 70% but also note that the 70% is very unevenly distributed across states.

The numbers there are additive. (34 + 22) = 56%. Still lower than the national average, but not half.

Even if it doesn't explain 100% of it, it's still striking that the overweight rate in NYC is, according to your figures, less than half of the US average.

But even at half of the US average its still at a level considered epidemic.

I think you may have proven the point. That's less than half the general population.

I don't believe so.

Given that its a reference for one of the great "walking cities", I think it disputes the OPs assertion "the design of American cities" and "car culture" are substantial contributors.

In other words whether one walks or or drives to McDonalds probably matters very little.

I'm the OP.

I agree NYC should be better but a number of problems are present there:

1. Cultural. I haven't been there for two years, but people use the subway, not the bike lanes. And I remember as recent at 2010 taxis were very prevalent, although slightly less so last time I was there. Though that could be Uber. The walkability of a city isn't just its density, it's its zoning, the width of its streets, the expected work hours. NYC is fast food, finance, media. Though they're still better off than the average American, they are no Amsterdam.

2. They have many of the problems that most American cities have: Dirt cheap unhealthy food and sugar consumption rates that are unhealthily high.

3. Many people come to NYC to make it. If they're coming from the rest of America they're coming in overweight.

>"I haven't been there for two years, but people use the subway, not the bike lanes."

The bike lanes are actually quite busy. This was true two years ago as well. It has also been steadily increasing with the increase in the number of Citibikes. The NYC DOT even has stats that support this [1]

>"They have many of the problems that most American cities have: Dirt cheap unhealthy food and sugar consumption rates that are unhealthily high."

There's also shortage of affordable and healthy options in just about every neighborhood.[2] There's also plenty of Whole Food and fruit and vegetable are present outside most bodegas.

>"Many people come to NYC to make it. If they're coming from the rest of America they're coming in overweight."

That's is a pretty absurd statement. People come for all kinds of reasons and they generally bring their A game if trying to "make it."

[1] http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bicyclists/cyclinginthecity...

[2] https://www.timeout.com/newyork/restaurants/the-best-healthy...

>"There's also shortage of affordable and healthy options in just about every neighborhood.[2] "

This should have been:

There's also NO shortage of affordable and healthy options in just about every neighborhood.[2]