Individuals in Wisconsin can now view the prevalence of obesity at the Zip Code level. The Obesity Prevention Initiative, funded through the Wisconsin Partnership Program, has released a report that was co-authored by HIP staff Lauren Bednarz, MPH and Maureen Smith, MD, PhD, MPH, along with an interactive mapping tool on the Wisconsin Health Atlas website, that describes the obesity epidemic in Wisconsin. HIP partnered with the Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality (WCHQ) on this project to secure health system participation and commitment to delivering electronic health record data to HIP for delivery to the Obesity Prevention Initiative.
The data show that nearly 42% of Wisconsin adults and 15% of Wisconsin children are experiencing obesity, though there are considerable differences in obesity prevalence by age group and rural and urban residence. This report is the first in a series of reports that will explore obesity among Wisconsin residents. The map received both local national media attention, including articles from the US News and World Report, the Wisconsin State Journal, Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television, and others.
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