Delaware Valley

Not to be confused with Delaware County, Pennsylvania.

Delaware Valley
Greater Philadelphia
Southeastern Pennsylvania

General Information
Name	Delaware Valley
Native Name
Other Names	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA
Settlement Type	Metropolitan area
Transliteration
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Type 1
Info 1
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Coordinates
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Population
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Density	per km²
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Government
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Time Zone
Standard	UTC−5
DST	UTC−4

The Delaware Valley is the valley through which the Delaware River flows. By extension, this toponym is commonly used to refer to Greater Philadelphia or the Philadelphia metropolitan area ("the [Lower] Delaware Valley Metropolitan Area"). The Delaware Valley is coterminous with a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) and broader combined statistical area (CSA), and is composed of counties located in Southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey, Delaware, and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. As of the 2010 Census, the MSA has a population of over 6 million, while the CSA has a population of over 7.1 million. 2016 Census Bureau estimates rank the Delaware Valley CSA as the ninth-largest CSA in the United States.

Obesity in Delaware Valley

Over the past twenty years, the rate of people that are either overweight or obese has increased dramatically in Delaware Valley where about two in three adults are reported being overweight. The rate of obesity in Delaware Valley, is estimated to be over 30%, although it varies from city to city based on a complex web of factors such as economic status, race, sex, and other factors.

Causes

Obesity has many causes some of which include

• Poor Nutrition - lack of adequate and proper nutrition can lead to food cravings, and empty calorie consumption leading to weight gain.
• Lack of Physical Activity or proper and regular exercise.
• Genetics plays a part in weight gain
• Micronutrient malnutrition plays a role
• Hormonal factors such as insulin resistance which affects up to two thirds of the population
• Environmental factors such as not having area parks, sidewalks, and affordable gyms makes it hard for people to be physically active.

Other factors include:

• Oversized food portions increase Americans’ calorie intake, making even more physical activity necessary to maintain a healthy weight.
• Some people don’t have access to supermarkets that sell affordable healthy foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Food advertising encourages people to buy unhealthy foods, such as high-fat snacks and sugary drinks.

Consequences of obesity

Obesity is a serious medical condition that can cause complications such as metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, heart disease, diabetes, high blood cholesterol, cancers and sleep disorders.

Screening for obesity

Children and adults should be screened at least annually to see if they have a high or increasing body mass index (BMI), which allows doctors to recommend healthy lifestyle changes to prevent overweight and obesity.

Screening for a high or increasing body mass index (BMI)

Overweight and Obesity

To screen for overweight and obesity, a Body Mass Index calculations that depend on whether you are a child or an adult. After reading the information below, talk to your doctor or your child’s doctor to determine if you or your child has a high or increasing BMI.

• Children: A healthy weight is usually when your child’s BMI is at the 5th percentile up to the 85th percentile, based on growth charts for children who are the same age and sex. To figure out your child’s BMI, use the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) BMI Percentile Calculator for Child and Teen

What is BMI?

ppBody mass index[[ (BMI) is used to determine if you or your child are underweight, healthy, or overweight or obese.

Children and BMI

Children are underweight if their BMI is below the 5th percentile, healthy weight if their BMI is between the 5th to less than the 85th percentile, overweight if their BMI is the 85th percentile to less than the 95th percentile, and obese if their BMI is the 95th percentile or above.

BMI

Adult BMI

Adults are underweight if their BMI is below 18.5, healthy weight if their BMI is 18.5 to 24.9, overweight if their BMI is 25 to 29.9, and obese if their BMI is 30 or above.

• A child’s BMI percentile is calculated by comparing your child’s BMI to growth charts for children who are the same age and sex as your child.

Treatment options

Treatment depends on the cause and severity of your condition and whether you have complications. Treatments include lifestyle changes, such as heart-healthy eating and increased physical activity, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved weight-loss medicines