It’s not a secret that obesity has become a serious problem in Philadelphia in the past few years. According to Center of Disease and Control Prevention (CDC) data around 68 percent of the population of the city and 41 percent of young people (between 6 and 17 years old) was obese in 2010.

However, the obesity rate is not uniform. It changes depending on the neighborhood of Philly you live in. In areas like North Philadelphia (where childhood obesity is twice the national average), West Philadelphia or South Philadelphia, the obesity rates are higher than the average of the city. 

The proof is an interactive map, created by the non profit company RTI International. The map shows obesity rate disparities among communities in the City of Brotherly Love. In some areas (in red and in orange) the obesity rate is higher than the national average.

"Although obesity is a national problem, many of the policies and interventions that would be most valuable in reducing obesity occur at the community or neighborhood level," said Bill Wheaton, director of RTI's Geospatial Science and Technology Program. "However, until now, high-resolution maps of obesity at the community level did not exist. We filled this gap to show where the most at-risk populations are and to better help target outreach, interventions and community health activities."