Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin: 5,771,337⁴

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Adult Statistics

Dietary Behaviors⁵

• 37.8% of adults reported consuming fruit less than one time daily.
• 25.8% of adults reported consuming vegetables less than one time daily.

Physical Activity⁵

• 53.4% of adults achieved the equivalent of at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week.

Overweight and Obesity⁵

• 36.2% of adults were overweight.
• 31.2% of adults had obesity.

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Adolescent Statistics

Dietary Behaviors⁵

• 32.1% of adolescents reported consuming fruit less than one time daily.

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Physical Activity⁵

• 24.0% of adolescents were physically active at least 60 minutes per day on all 7 days in the past week.

Overweight and Obesity⁵

• 13.0% of adolescents were overweight.
• 11.6% of adolescents had obesity.

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Child Statistics

Breastfeeding⁵

• 79.9% of infants were ever breastfed.
• 53.0% of infants were breastfed for at least 6 months.

Overweight and Obesity⁵

• 16.9% of children aged 2 to 4 years in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program were overweight.
• 15.2% of children aged 2 to 4 years in WIC had obesity.

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State Activities

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

• Presented workshops to two communities with about 45 worksites represented at each site on opportunities to increase physical activity and improve nutrition standards at worksites. From these, 47 worksites assessed and implemented worksite wellness programs.
• In partnership with The Food Trust, developed tools to help farmers’ markets improve their business.
• Designed the Active Early and Healthy Bites resource kits for providers, parents, and educators to reduce childhood obesity. These kits are aligned with wellness criteria in YoungStar, the state’s quality rating improvement system. The kits resulted in 2,149 providers serving 95,305 children achieving the nutrition point and 1,550 providers serving 58,789 children achieving the physical activity points.
• Developed and provided training on the Active Community Environments resource kit focused on community design and land use, active transportation, and places to be active and play.
• Developed Got Dirt?, Got Veggies?, and Got Access? to provide guidance to community partners on how to implement child care, school, and community gardens.
• Developed Order Up Healthy and Check Out Healthy to help local communities, coalitions, and public health practitioners improve access to healthy foods in restaurants and grocery stores.

Program Highlights

• Corner Stores in Rural Wisconsin Provide Residents with Fresh Produce [PDF-387KB]

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