Wisconsin’s obesity rate is 4.5 percent higher than the national average obesity rate of 34.9 percent, and that percentage has risen by a few points from the prior estimate, according to findings from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW), a population-based health examination survey. The findings were reported in the Wisconsin Medical Journal, as part of several Wisconsin-focused studies looking at disparities in obesity, adolescent fitness, food environments, obesity-related policies and more. The research shows that the state could benefit from policy changes that promote healthier living, according to Alex Adams, MD, MPH, principal investigator of the Obesity Prevention Initiative established by the Wisconsin Partnership Program at the School of Medicine and Public Health.
