CDC: 3 in 10 Minnesota Adults are Obese

ST. PAUL (AP) -- Minnesota's adult obesity rate has climbed above 30% for the first time.

Survey data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Thursday show Minnesota's rate of 30.1% in 2018 is up from 28.4% the previous year and is nearing the national rate of 30.9%.

State Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm says consumption of sugar-sweetened sodas remains a problem, along with too much sedentary time on computers and cell phones.

Malcolm cites research showing that teens spend more than 7 1/2 hours a day in front of a screen.

Although the change from 2017 to 2018 was modest, it represented the third consecutive increase in Minnesota. Obesity has been linked to diabetes and heart disease as well as certain forms of cancer.