Newswise — Only one state " California " earned an A in the report card. The researchers credited the state's legislative package targeted at the nutrition and diets of schoolchildren at risk of becoming obese for the high grade. Overall, California earned a B for its anti-obesity work for all populations.
While most states made strides in this year's Report Card, several states continue to lag behind in taking corrective steps. The three states with the highest prevalence of obesity " Mississippi, West Virginia and Michigan " have done little to correct the problem, although Mississippi did pass legislation specifying requirements for recess and physical education in schools and established a commission on obesity.
The Report Card indicates that it is costing the U.S. nearly $120 billion a year in medical care alone to deal with obesity.
The Report Card's authors " Zoltan Acs, professor of economics and entrepreneurship, Kenneth Stanton, professor of finance, and Ann Cotton, director of the University of Baltimore's Schaefer Center " recommend that states use the same lessons learned from the tobacco wars and employ a mix of legislative efforts, private-sector influence, litigation, and common sense to combat obesity.
Five states " Idaho, Nevada, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming, received an F on the report card for failing to take an action in combating obesity.
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