Mississippi expands obesity response as rates continue to climb
MISSISSIPPI — Mississippi faces a worsening obesity crisis, with projections showing 57% of adults could be classified as obese by 2030.
State health officials say the epidemic is fueling chronic disease and infant mortality. Without major intervention, they warn, the health care system could be overwhelmed.
To counter the crisis, multiple state agencies are rolling out coordinated programs to expand treatment access, improve nutrition education and promote physical activity.
Growing crisis with deep health consequences
Mississippi ranks among the worst in national health outcomes, with about 1.2 million adults — roughly 40% of the population — classified as obese, according to federal data. Only West Virginia and Arkansas have higher rates, per Statista.
Obesity significantly increases the risk of chronic diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, neurodegenerative conditions, diabetes and cancer, according to the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Dr. Daniel Edney, state health officer and executive director of the Mississippi Department of Health, said obesity also drives some of the state’s most severe health challenges.
“It’s the No. 1 cause of preterm birth, and preterm birth is leading cause of infant mortality,” he said. “We have too many babies who die. We have too many children who die. We have way too many teenagers who are dying — and we can prevent all of this.”
Edney said low-income and minority communities experience the highest rates, but the problem affects all Mississippians. Reports also show that more than 40% of children in the state are overweight or obese.
“That is scary,” Edney said. “If they’re obese in the fifth grade, then they’re very likely to be morbidly obese when they’re 45 (years old).”
That trajectory, he added, often reflects deeper economic and social barriers.
Barriers, stigma and the human cost of obesity
Since July 2023, Mississippi Medicaid has covered anti-obesity medications, but only 2.4% of adults received treatment in 2024, according to the Mississippi Division of Medicaid’s drug utilization report.
Dr. Rasheedah Hall, owner of Hall Health in Hattiesburg, said patients without Medicaid often face monthly costs ranging from $300 to $1,500 if they pay out of pocket or if their insurance doesn’t cover treatment.
“We need to make those medications more affordable to everyone,” Hall said. “They are a game changer.”
Hall said increasing affordability and awareness of available treatments would help reduce obesity statewide.
For Macayla Douglas, a lack of early access to resources shaped her struggles with obesity as a teenager.
“As a 13- (or) 14-year-old and you’re super overweight, there’s people that call you names, you get weird looks,” Douglas said. “I was getting out of breath simply just like walking to class in a high school.”
Douglas said her family often relied on cheap, less nutritious food due to cost and access barriers — a common issue across Mississippi.
“I didn’t really feel like I had enough resources,” she said. “I didn’t come from a super privileged household.”
After years of trying to lose weight, she was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. With that diagnosis, she began medication, adopted a regular exercise routine and made lifestyle changes — ultimately losing 82 pounds.
“Whenever I was watching what I ate and sticking to consistent exercise, I was able to see a dramatic decrease in weight,” Douglas said. “It was making me feel super good, and it just led to me to want to keep going.”
Hall said stories like Douglas’ help shift public perception.
“We’re moving forward and getting away from the stigma and the misunderstanding … if you just eat right and exercise, everybody would be at a healthy weight,” she said. “There are (sometimes) other factors at play.”
Policy, prevention and the path forward
Hall and Edney agree that reversing Mississippi’s obesity crisis will require long-term, statewide investment in education, prevention and equitable access to care.
At the policy level, Gov. Tate Reeves reinstated the Presidential Fitness Test in October for the 2026–27 school year, and state leaders are proposing changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are intended to encourage healthier food choices.
The Mississippi departments of Health and Education are also developing an interactive virtual platform that delivers daily health education to students through gaming. The goal: to make screen time active and build healthy habits from an early age.
“That 15 minutes a day, kindergarten through 12th grade — that will change two generations,” Edney said.
He emphasized that families also play a key role in encouraging physical activity, limiting screen time and monitoring key health indicators like blood pressure and blood sugar.
“At the core of everything is the education of health promotion principles,” he said.
This article first appeared on RHCJC and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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