It has now become common knowledge that obesity is reaching pandemic proportions across America. Every year, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) along with private researchers and state agencies tally the numbers on the problem. This article seeks to find out where Minnesota as a state fits into the national mosaic.

Definition of Terms

Nearly all of the studies performed focus on two categories; the overweight and the obese. Overweight is defined as having an increased weight in relation to height; this may or may not be fat related, it could be the result of increased lean muscle mass as would be expected in a serious athlete. Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a calculated value based on calculations using weight and height, is used to differentiate between the overweight and the obese. Adults with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 are defined as overweight; adults with a BMI of 30 or above are considered obese.

National Rankings

Minnesota is ranked 31^st in the nation for the number of obese adults and children; Colorado being the leanest state, and Mississippi being the most obese. Minnesota has remained at this rank for two years despite seeing an overall increase of 0.2 percent in obesity over the last three years. Nationally, Minnesota was one of only 24 states to avoid seeing an increase in Type 2 diabetes cases. Type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance, has been linked to obesity in adults.

Minnesota by the Numbers

According to the latest report by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, nearly 63 percent of Minnesotan adults are overweight or obese. The same report finds that 25.3 percent of the population is obese. Children are not classified as obese, but are rather labeled “at risk” or overweight if their BMI is above the 85 percentile for children in the same age group. In Minnesota, 37 percent of school age children and 34 percent of teens are overweight or at risk

Causes of Obesity

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, several factors have been linked to the obesity issue in the state. Among the items the department has observed; technology that reduces the amount of physical activity, increased portion size, and the extensive marketing of high fat, high sugar, high calorie foods. Environmental factors such as limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables due to economic forces and stress caused by uncertainty have also been noted to be a contributing factor.

The Plan of Attack

Minnesota like many states, is seeking to change through education, how people choose the foods they eat. Initiatives to address school standards for physical education and policies regarding vending machines and school lunches have been started. The Department of Health has started an educational campaign to provide employers with resources to make the same types of changes in their break rooms and cafeterias. The University of Minnesota has joined with the NIH to form the Minnesota Obesity Center, which performs research on obesity in the state.

The fact that Minnesotans are among the leanest populations in the country is due to the state aggressively pursuing the goal of eliminating obesity. Still, one in four citizens of the state is obese and an informal project has shown the average weight of the Minnesota resident has climbed 6 percent in the last 10 years. Minnesota has its work cut out for itself, but it is on the right track.