Minnesota State Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Profile

Many American communities lack environments that could support healthy diets and regular physical activity. Healthy dietary and physical activity practices can lower the risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.^1,2

In addition, excess calorie intake and physical inactivity contribute to obesity, which is associated with some of the leading preventable chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. Among adults, the medical costs associated with obesity are an estimated $147 billion.^1,2,3

Public health approaches can help make healthy options available, accessible, and affordable. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) supports the nation to establish sustainable programs to improve dietary quality, increase physical activity, and reduce obesity and overweight. DNPAO funds and works with state health departments through a cooperative agreement (State Public Health Actions to Prevent and Control Diabetes, Heart Disease, Obesity and Associated Risk Factors and Promote School Health program).

This profile highlights data on dietary quality, physical activity, and obesity in Minnesota and select activities funded with this cooperative agreement. For more information about CDC’s work to support healthy eating and physical activity, please see the DNPAO website.

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Population Statistics

Estimated Population of Minnesota: 5,489,594⁴

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Adult Statistics

Dietary Behaviors⁵

• 38.2% of adults reported consuming fruit less than one time daily.
• 23.6% of adults reported consuming vegetables less than one time daily.

Physical Activity⁵

• 52.7% of adults achieved the equivalent of at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week.

Overweight and Obesity⁵

• 36.5% of adults were overweight.
• 27.6% of adults had obesity.

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Child Statistics

Breastfeeding⁵

• 84.0% of infants were ever breastfed.
• 58.5% of infants were breastfed for at least 6 months.

Overweight and Obesity⁵

• 15.8% of children aged 2 to 4 years in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program were overweight.
• 12.2% of children aged 2 to 4 years in WIC had obesity.

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State Activities

Minnesota worked on the following select activities during the first 2 years of the State Public Health Actions program.

• Updated breastfeeding webpages to include guidance and technical assistance for maternity centers, workplaces, and health departments to be recognized as “breastfeeding friendly.”
• Delivered Coordinated Approach to Child Health Early Childhood training-of-trainers to 15 Statewide Health Improvement Program grantees and child care trainers to help increase physical activity in early care and education settings.
• Reached an agreement to implement healthy vending guidelines in state agencies.
• Launched the development of Minnesota Pedestrian System Plan in partnership with the MN Department of Transportation. The plan will include assessing pedestrian needs and challenges, developing recommendations for new projects, policies, and programs that would improve the pedestrian environment, and clarifying the roles and responsibilities of partners involved with creating better pedestrian environments in Minnesota. As a part of the plan, a background document regarding the pedestrian environment in Minnesota was published, a 30-person project advisory committee with broad stakeholder representation was created, and a community engagement toolkit to collect statewide input was disseminated.

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