Study: More than half of Minnesota, Wisconsin obese by 2030

More than half of Minnesota and Wisconsin residents will be obese by 2030 if we don’t change our ways.

That’s the conclusion of a study released today by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The study also warns of staggering health-care costs ahead if the obesity trend isn’t reversed.

The analysis, conducted by the National Heart Forum and using a model published last year by British medical journal the Lancet, forecast a 54.7 percent obesity rate for Minnesota and 56.3 percent for Wisconsin. Current rates are 25.7 percent and 27.7 percent, respectively.

Nationally, the study predicted 13 states would have obesity rates of more than 60 percent.

On the other hand, the study predicted significant savings in health-care costs if state populations reduced their average body mass index by 5 percent. Minnesotans could save 7.3 percent in health-care costs, or $11.6 billion by 2030, the study said. In Wisconsin, the savings could total $11.9 billion.

“Every state could spare thousands of people form obesity-related diseases while saving billions in health-care costs,” said Jeffrey Levi, executive director for the Trust for America’s Health, in an audio news conference.

The complete report is available at the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Fund.

Tags: news, health, minnesota, wisconsin