Some county childhood obesity rates trend down after 2022, others skyrocket
Thu, July 30, 2026 at 5:21 PM
Childhood obesity rates are slowly trending downward in Onondaga County after 2022, according to state data. (July 30, 2026) (FILE)
SYRACUSE, N.Y. —Childhood obesity rates are slowly trending downward in Onondaga County after 2022, according to state data, even as surrounding Central New York counties show sharply different patterns
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The latest data in 2025 puts Onondaga County’s childhood obesity rate at just over 19% countywide. Local health officials emphasized that progress is not defined solely by a number on a scale. Deputy Commissioner of the Onondaga County Health Department Rebecca Shultz explained the intricacies:
There’s a very holistic approach that we can take as a community to make sure our kids are growing up in the healthiest environment possible.
Onondaga County is using New York state’s plan as a guideline, while making adjustments to better fit local needs. Shultz said the work is not limited to one agency, with local hospitals and community-based organizations collaborating. “To really make sure we’re helping to create an environment where the healthy choice is the easy choice,” Shultz said
Shultz said officials cannot definitively link a spike in childhood obesity rates around 2020 to COVID-19, but said it is possible the pandemic played a role in disrupting routines that support healthy habits
“Children were not attending school every day, so sometimes having that built-in physical education to their schedule is very helpful,” Shultz said. “So there were ways in which the pandemic may have impacted some of those healthy habits.”
Data from nearby counties shows a range of outcomes. Oswego County has the highest childhood obesity rate among the counties referenced, at nearly 26% (25.9%). In Tompkins County, the obesity rate has surged, with more than 30% of middle and high school students considered obese from 2023 to 2025
The data referenced uses body mass index, and Onondaga County officials said that is why they focus on holistic approaches rather than pure numbers
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