Minnesota

Overweight and obesity have tremendous consequences on our nation's health and economy. Both are linked to a number of chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some cancers. Most American communities are characterized by unhealthy options when it comes to diet and physical activity. We need public health approaches that make healthy options easy, affordable, and available for all Americans.

CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) currently funds 25 states to address the problems of obesity and other chronic diseases through statewide efforts with multiple partners.  The program's primary focus is to create policy and environmental changes to increase: physical activity, consumption of fruits and vegetables, and breastfeeding; and to decrease: television viewing, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, and consumption of high-energy dense foods (high calorie/low nutrient foods).  Minnesota has received funding for this program since 2008.

The Burden of Obesity in Minnesota

Minnesota's estimated 2007 total population is just over five million, with roughly four million adults. Of those adults, 36% are considered overweight and another 26% are considered obese, according to 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data. Problems are also seen in factors related to obesity and other chronic diseases.

• Seventeen percent of Minnesota adults report no leisure time physical activity in the past month.
• Only 19% eat fruits and vegetables at least five times a day.

Also, the National Immunization Survey shows that Minnesota is not meeting two of the five Healthy People 2010 goals for breastfeeding based on children born in 2005.

The problem is not limited to adults alone. According to the 2007 Minnesota Student Survey, 26% of 12th grade males and 17% of 12th grade females reported heights and weights that classified them as overweight or obese.

• Only 15–20% of 6th, 9th, and 12th grade students surveyed report eating five servings of fruits, fruit juices, and vegetables the previous day.
• Forty-seven percent of 12th grade girls and 65% of 12th grade boys report drinking at least one soda a day.

Obesity also affects the state's economy. In Minnesota, the medical costs associated with adult obesity were $1.3 billion in 2003 dollars. 

What is Minnesota Doing about Obesity?

Minnesota began receiving CDC funds for obesity prevention activities in July 2008, creating the Minnesota Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (NPAO) program. This came at an opportune time for the state since earlier that year Minnesota passed statewide legislation to create the Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP). This program aims to reduce health care costs by reducing the percentage of Minnesotans who are overweight or obese and/or who use tobacco products. Millions of state dollars will be competitively granted to Minnesota communities through community health boards and tribal governments. The Minnesota NPAO program has provided extensive technical support, leadership and financial resources and worked closely with others in designing and preparing for the launch of the SHIP initiative. Specifically, staff have helped lead the development of the following:

• The SHIP Menu of Interventions, which lists specific scientifically-based policy, systems and environmental change interventions that communities can choose from to affect change in their communities.
• The SHIP Guide to Implementing and Evaluating Interventions.
• The SHIP Spring conference, Charting New Waters: Navigating Policy, Systems and Environmental Change, held March 17-18, 2009, and attended by 350 local public health and Tribal health representatives.

In addition to working on SHIP, the Minnesota Department of Health NPAO Program has done the following:

• Developed and promoted the Minnesota Plan to Reduce Obesity and Obesity-Related Chronic Diseases 2008-2013.
• Convened 26 local breastfeeding coalitions and program representatives to draft action plans to implement recommendations from the CDC breastfeeding guide.
• Created and convened a coalition of state agencies (health, agriculture, education, human services, and university extension services) to oversee and coordinate state nutrition programs, starting with the implementation of the state Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.
• Consulted with key partners Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, local public health agencies, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to set goals for the Minnesota Obesity and Transportation Plans, establish an Active Living Network, and co-sponsor an Active Living statewide conference.
• Engaged the National Institute on Media and the Family (headquarters in Minnesota) to provide a statewide training on TV Viewing and Childhood Obesity in the Child Care Setting for local public health agencies, tribal health agencies, and local child care provider licensers and consultants.
• Collaborated with CDC to pilot test the “Common Community Measures for Obesity Prevention Project” (COCOMO). Measures were modified to fit local public health reporting and extended beyond community and schools to worksites and health care. Reports of data being collected now are anticipated by summer to serve as a baseline for SHIP.

Through these activities, Minnesota and CDC are addressing obesity by creating communities where Minnesotans can make healthy choices about nutrition and physical activity.

For more information:
Martha Roberts, MPH
Manager, CDRR Unit, Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Division
Minnesota Department of Health
Telephone: 651-201-5492
Fax: 651-201-5800
E-mail: martha.roberts@health.state.mn.us
Web site: http://www.health.state.mn.us/cdrr

---