National report finds Minnesota has some of the lowest childhood obesity rates in the nation
The work of Live Well Goodhue County is contributing to lower childhood obesity rates in Minnesota due to its focus on healthier eating and opportunities for increased physical activity.
A report prepared by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which came out within the last month, found that while one in six young people nationwide have obesity, the rates in Minnesota are much lower. Minnesota ranks 43 out of 50 states and the District of Columbia in childhood obesity rates.
“The findings of this report make clear that one of the key reasons for Minnesota’s lower childhood obesity rates is the ongoing work in the state to provide opportunities for children and youth to eat healthier and be more physically active. That is exactly some of the work we are engaged in,” states Megan Roschen, Live Well Goodhue County Coordinator. Some of those local projects include safe routes to school, which makes it easier and safer for kids to walk and bike to school, active recess and active classroom opportunities, community gardens, and programs such as Power of Produce (PoP) which provides support for local farmers markets.
“It has been an absolute pleasure working with Megan and Live Well Goodhue County. When we partner school and local resources together it gives us more opportunities to introduce kids to exciting ways to move and be healthy,” says Tom Horner, Wellness/Mental Health Coordinator at Pine Island School District. “One example is the active recess grant we received at Pine Island, which includes fitness and agility equipment to promote kids having more options to stay active at recess. My passion is to inspire others to live happy and healthy lives, and every child deserves these positive experiences at a young age.”
“We are so grateful for our partnership with Live Well Goodhue County on our Power of Produce program,” states Sara George, Market Manger from the Red Wing Farmers Market. “We are empowering children to make healthy eating choices from a young age by providing the $2 tokens for them each time they come to the market. But even better is that these children want to come to the market, they are begging their parents to go each week. It is creating a snowball effect, where the parents are then meeting the local farmers and having conversations around healthy eating habits. This benefits the farmers, the children, the individual families and then impacts the well-being of the community as well as our local volunteers who simply love seeing the faces of children attending the market bounce with excitement. This has been a win-win for our market.”
The Robert Wood Johnson report also found that other contributing factors to Minnesota’s lower childhood obesity rates include physical education being required in the schools, nutrition program standards and healthy food financing.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children who have obesity are more likely to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease; increased risk of impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes; breathing problems, such as asthma and sleep apnea; and joint problems, as well as other potential ailments and diseases.
“While, when compared to much of the rest of the nation Minnesota’s childhood obesity rates are positive, they are still too high, especially among certain populations. We need to continue to do everything in our power to work to drive down those rates and thereby help to improve the health of our youth,” says Kris Igo, director of the Minnesota Department of Health’s Office of Statewide Health Improvement, which oversees SHIP.
The findings of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s State of Childhood Obesity report came from the 2019-2020 National Survey of Children’s Health, along with analysis conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau. A full copy of the report, which includes the Minnesota findings, can be found online at https://stateofchildhoodobesity.org/2021report/
