Minnesota's Response to Obesity

The Minnesota Statewide Health Improvement Program emphasizes policy and environmental strategies to reduce the percentage of Minnesotans who are overweight or obese.
Active Living Coordination Plan – The Minnesota Active Living Advisory Group, a committee of key stakeholders in and out of government, collaborates on assessment, implementation, training and technical assistance for partners’ active living projects.
Improving Nutrition in Minnesota focuses on supporting, building capacity, and leveraging several statewide nutrition-centered statewide efforts.

Minnesota

State Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Profile

Adult Overweight and Obesity

Among Minnesota’s adults age 18 and over ¹

62.3% of adults were overweight, with a Body Mass Index of 25 or greater
24.8.9% of adults were obese, with a Body Mass Index of 30 or greater

Adolescent Overweight and Obesity

Minnesota does not participate in the CDC Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. Instead, the state conducts its own Minnesota Student Survey. According to the latest Survey conducted in 2007:
Overweight (85th to less than the 95th percentile BMI for age and sex) ²

15% of 9th grade boys
12% of 9th grade girls
13% of 12th grade boys
12% of 12th grade girls

Obese (95th and above percentile BMI for age and sex) ²

12% of 9th grade boys
6% of 9th grade girls
13% of 12th grade boys
5% of 12th grade girls

Child Overweight and Obesity

Among Minnesota's children aged 2 years to less than 5 years ³

16.4% were overweight (85th to <95th percentile BMI-for-Age)
12.7% were obese (>95th percentile BMI-for-Age)

References

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System: Prevalence and Trend Data – Overweight and Obesity, U.S. Obesity Trends, Trends by State 2010. Available online at http://www.cdc.gov/brfss/
Minnesota Department of Education. 2007. Minnesota Student Survey. Available online at www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/mss/
CDC, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. 2010 Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System. Available online at http://www.cdc.gov/pednss/pednss_tables/
tables_health_indicators.htm