Over one-third of MA students overweight/obese

State public health officials say that more than one-third of the students in 80 Massachusetts school districts are overweight or obese.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health released a study Wednesday of more than 100,000 students which found that 17.3 percent were obese and 16.9 percent were overweight.

The percentage of students overweight or obese ranged from a low of 9.6 percent in Arlington to a high of 46.6 percent in Lawrence.

The study measured students in the first, fourth, seventh and 10th grades. In all four grade levels measured, more boys were overweight or obese than girls.

The study was part of the state's Mass in Motion initiative which tries to promote wellness and prevent obesity in Massachusetts.