Two-thirds of East Harlem residents are obese — and surprise, surprise, the neighborhood has four junk-food outlets for every healthier one, officials said yesterday.
By contrast, the neighboring Upper East Side, with an obesity rate of 36 percent, has just two fattening food options per healthy option, according to the first “FoodStat” survey conducted by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer’s office.
“CompStat changed policing because we knew where the problems were. We are hoping FoodStat will do the same thing,” said Stringer, referring to the NYPD’s crime tracking system. “This is our way of using the same principles to fight crime to fight unhealthy eating.”
FoodStat divides the number of healthy food choices a neighborhood offers by the unhealthy.
Stringer, speaking in front of an East Harlem Kentucky Fried Chicken, said the data should be used to identify areas where there’s a dearth of healthy options, then give businesses looking to fill that void tax breaks, loans and other incentives.