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2004 UB Obesity Report Card

State Efforts to Control Obesity

A	No state received an A.

AR(15)

C	CA(18), HI(35), IL(21), IN(5), LA(8), MD(25), MS(1), RI(36), TN(9), TX(6)

D	CO(39), CT(36), FL(32), ID(23), KS(17), KY(4), ME(29), MO(10), MT(33), NM(31), NV(28), NY(26), OR(19), SC(15), VA(23), VT(37)

F	AK(17), AL(7), AZ(34), DE(23), GA(12), IA(14), MA(38), MI(3), MN(27), NC(11), ND(24), NE(22), NH(29), NJ(29), OH(14), OK(19), PA(16), SD(20), UT(32), WA(30), WI(13), WV(2), WY(27)

Numbers in parentheses show rank by obesity prevalence. (Mississippi ranks first with the country’s highest obesity rate, followed by West Virginia and Michigan. Colorado has the lowest obesity rate, ranking 39th).

State Efforts to Control Childhood Obesity

A	No state received an A.

B	AR (15) CT (36)

C	CA (18), HI (35), IN (5), MD (25), MS (1), MT (33), RI (36), TX (6), WA (30)

D	AK (17), CO (39), DE (23), FL (32), GA (12), ID (23), IL (21), KY (4), LA (8), ME (29), MA (38), MN (27), MO (10), NH (29), NY (26), NC (11), ND (24), OK (12), SC (15), SD (20), VT (37)

F	AL (7), AZ (34), IA (14), KS (17), MI (3), NE (22), NV (28), NJ (29), NM (31), OH (14), OR (19), PA (16), TN (9), UT (32), VA (23), WV (2), WI (13), WY (27)

Report Card: State Efforts to Control Obesity

Ann Cotten, Kenneth R. Stanton and Zoltan J. Acs

Even though the causes of the epidemic may not be fully understood, given the seriousness of the problem, it is worth asking what steps our state governments are taking to combat obesity. For obvious reasons, slowing the dramatic growth in obesity prevalence among children is especially important and should be a priority for legislators.

For the most part, state governments have been slow to respond to this health crisis. For the purpose of comparison, we have created a report card for each state, based on efforts to pass obesity control measures. Currently, eight different types of legislation have been introduced and in some states, passed. The types are as follows:

Nutrition standards—Controlling the types of foods and beverages offered during school hours.
Vending Machine Usage—Prohibiting types of foods and beverages sold in school and prohibiting access to vending machines at certain times.
Body Mass Index (BMI) measured in school.
Recess and Physical Education—State mandated additional recess and physical education time.
Obesity Programs and Education—Programs established as part of curriculum.
Obesity Research—Legislature directed other institutions or groups to study obesity.
Obesity Treatment in Health Insurance—Expanding health insurance to cover obesity treatment where applicable.
Obesity Commissions—Legislature established commissions designed to study obesity.

In our report card assessment, successfully passing a law was necessary to obtain an A. However, since introducing legislation at least indicates some awareness and the presence of a will directed to controlling obesity, points were awarded even if the proposed legislation is no longer active. The grade for each state is a composite of the score for each of the eight types of legislation.

Report Card Results

Based on our scorecard, twenty-three states received a failing grade for their efforts in combating the problem. Not one state received an A. Arkansas, which ranks 15th in terms of obesity prevalence, leads the country in passing laws to control obesity. It is the only state to receive a B. Ten states received a C, sixteen received a D, and twenty-three received an F for taking no action at all. It is interesting to note that some of the states with the most serious obesity problems received a failing grade. West Virginia, with the second highest obesity rate in the US, has proposed legislation to conduct obesity research but has taken no other steps in addressing the crisis. Similarly, neither Michigan nor Alabama, which ranked third and seventh respectively, for obesity prevalence, have introduced any obesity related legislation. Mississippi, with the most severe obesity prevalence in the country, has passed obesity control measures in only three of the eight categories. Legislation in a fourth category is currently inactive. Considering the severity of the problem in Mississippi, much remains to be done.

Since the awareness and response developments in relation to the obesity epidemic are strongly reminiscent of the development of the battle against tobacco, we have developed a second report card for the states that focuses on the first five of the eight types of legislation listed above. The first five specifically address efforts to control increases in obesity prevalence among children. In the fight against tobacco addiction, efforts directed towards children were arguably the most influential so this report card is an important indicator.

In the control of childhood obesity, Connecticut joined Arkansas with a B, and no state was awarded an A. Although a small number of states that received failing grades on the overall report card manage a D in controlling childhood obesity, the results are still very disappointing.