Wisconsin is the first state with a detailed ZIP code-level obesity map based on electronic health record data from doctors’ office visits (rather than self-reported heights and weights). People can search by ZIP code to see how their neighborhood compares to others. Overall, “the big picture of the obesity epidemic in Wisconsin is quite disconcerting,” says Vincent Cryns, MD, a UW Health endocrinologist and leader of the Wisconsin Obesity Prevention Initiative (OPI). The map is the first step in identifying communities most affected by obesity, where targeted resources could help create opportunities for health. Funding for the obesity map came from the Wisconsin Partnership Program, and the map is part of the larger Wisconsin Health Atlas project.
