Obesity, Not Swine Flu, Biggest Health Concern for State

According to the CDC, 32 percent of Mississippi residents were obese in 2007, the last year for which data is available. This is the highest rate of obesity in the country.

The number of swine flu cases in Mississippi continues to rise, but that isn’t the worst health problem facing the state. MPB’s Cari Gervin reports.

You might think a cardiologist and an ophthalmologist would have differing opinions on the number one health issue facing Mississippi.

But if you ask that cardiologist - Clay Hays - here’s what you hear:

“I think obesity is definitely the biggest focus.”

And that ophthalmologist, Lee Rogers?

“Well, obesity.”

Hays and Rogers aren’t alone. Hundreds of doctors from around the state are in Oxford this weekend for the annual meeting of the Mississippi State Medical Association. And for most of them, obesity is the top concern. Mississippi is the fattest state in the country. Almost one in three adults is overweight.

State epidemiologist Mary Currier says obesity is the cause of many major health problems, like diabetes, heart disease, strokes. She says the problem isn’t just nutrition education.

“It is so hard to get people to change their behavior. The thing we’re trying to do is get into communities and provide them with the way to do what the communities think is best to improve their health. Because you have to get by it in the community, or you’re not going to get folks to change their behaviors. So providing little grants for areas that want to have walking trails and things like that.”

Lee Rogers says the answer is easier than that.

“You know, the formula’s pretty simple. You eat less and move more. It’s hard to do, but that’s the formula.”

Some federal economic stimulus funds could be used to combat obesity in the state. For MPB News, I’m Cari Gervin in Oxford.