Minnesota doesn’t seem like it would have much in common with New York, but they do share some common ground in the battle against obesity. According to a report published by the nonprofit organization, Trust for America’s Health, Minnesota and New York, along with Montana and Ohio, stand alone as the only four states that have seen their obesity rates decrease between 2014 and 2015. Other than the capital district of Washington, D.C., in 2010, this marks the first time in the last decade that we have seen state-wide decreases in obesity.

This is good news… but how good? Yes, we have four states that have seen a decline in obesity. But the rest of the country’s rate either stayed the same or increased. And even the four states that saw a decrease still have what would is considered high obesity rates. So the question is: What is it that those four states are doing that the others are not (or perhaps not as well), that is steering them into the right direction? Let’s take a deeper look.

There is no one solution to fight the disease of obesity, even with the programs previously mentioned, these states still did plenty more to bring their rates down. The question becomes, what can I do? What can you do? What can WE do?

As a healthcare provider, you can make obesity treatment a main component of your practice; it’s almost a necessity with how obesity has gripped the population. If you are trying to figure out how to get started with one, click here.

It is something that we all have to continue to work at so that not just these states, or the United States, but rather the whole world can lead a healthier lifestyle.