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In a recent study comparing the average Manhattan-dweller's BMI (a function of height and weight) to nationwide and statewide data, the Big Apple came out skinniest in the state, with only 42 percent of residents considered overweight or obese, beating out the countrywide 67 percent, New York State's 60 percent, and New York City's other boroughs (Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, Staten Island) at 58-62 percent.
But it all makes sense, say the Manhattanites quizzed by the Times. While some pointed to the unavoidable walking and subway stairs hikes, it was also noted that the city is the "national capital of disparate subcultures of the skinny," including models, rail-thin hipsters, body-conscious gay guys, and socialites.
Barneys Creative Director, Simon Doonan, also drew some fashion-as-motivator conclusions. "Our closets are filled with all these expensive clothes that are like swords of Damocles, because we may not fit into them anymore," he said. While a manager at Intermix confided that the store doesn't usually carry sizes above an 8.
So, what do you think: is New York's skinny culture keeping people healthy or is it an unhealthy obsession?