Mark W. Banks: The state of our health: Minnesota must do more

If a majority of Minnesotans were diagnosed with a condition linked to some of the most debilitating and life-shortening diseases around, would you be concerned?

Unfortunately, the question isn't a hypothetical one. The condition is obesity, and it's spreading at an alarming rate. According to a new study conducted by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Health, two-thirds of adults in our state will be considered overweight by the end of this decade.

Long classified as a rare condition, obesity is about to become the new normal. Simply stated, this is a problem we can't afford to ignore any longer.

Minnesota is now 21st in national obesity rankings, and we're growing larger at a faster rate than the U.S. average. In addition to increasing a person's chances of developing major medical problems, obesity places a major strain on the health care system. By 2010, treating obese and overweight Minnesotans could add an additional billion dollars annually to our overall health care costs. In 2020, the figure is projected to grow to $3.7 billion per year.

The Minnesota report states that healthier eating -- combined with 30 minutes of physical activity a day -- can significantly reduce some of the most costly illnesses to treat. The Minnesota Department of Health estimates that a more physically active Minnesota population could lead to a 30 percent reduction in heart disease, strokes, colon cancer, and osteoporosis; and 18 percent fewer cases of type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

However, the solution is not simply an issue of individual willpower. Realistically, if Minnesota truly wants better outcomes, we need to create a "state of health."

What would happen if we created environments across Minnesota that encouraged more walking and less driving? What if it was as easy to find fresh fruit on our lunch breaks as it is to get a double cheeseburger to go? And how much more likely would we be to get moving if physical activity was something that blended naturally into our daily routines, instead of being a task reserved just for the gym? The changes would be dramatic.

The health care community has long worked to educate on the need for healthy lifestyles and offer programs to help people to improve their health. Gov. Tim Pawlenty and the Minnesota Legislature have made more affordable and more accessible health care a priority. But more voices are needed. Success will take a comprehensive, long-term effort that includes not only the health care community, but employers, policymakers, community leaders and individuals. The payback? Better health, better-controlled health costs, reduced absenteeism and improved worker productivity.

Choosing the path of health will take the commitment of Minnesota leaders as well as citizens. When we make prevention an individual commitment and a community priority, we can move Minnesota from 21st to first and truly live up to our claim as one of the healthiest states.

Mark W. Banks, M.D., is chief executive officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. To read more, visit www.preventionminnesota.com