SHIP
SHIP helps make healthy choices easier.
We all want to be healthy, but sometimes we need a helping hand. Thanks to SHIP, communities across the state are creating good health for parents, kids and the whole community. Some examples:
- Safer walking and biking routes to school are helping more kids get the physical activity they need to stay healthy.
- More farmers markets mean more families have access to fruits and vegetables.
- More workplace wellness programs are helping employees improve their health, which decreases healthcare costs for employers.
Why SHIP matters
SHIP focuses on increasing physical activity, improving nutrition and reducing the number of people who use tobacco or are exposed to it.
- 30.1% of Minnesotans are obese - caused by insufficient physical activity and unhealthy eating - increasing risk for heart disease and diabetes, among other chronic illnesses. The national rate is 30.9%.
- 13.8% of adult Minnesotans smoke cigarettes, leading to various cancers and heart disease.
- 19.2% of high school students used or tried e-cigarettes in the past 30 days, up 49% from 2014 (MN Youth Tobacco Survey, 2017).
- Obesity and tobacco use and exposure are the two leading causes of death.
Prevention pays off
Preventing illness saves money, period.
- In Minnesota, medical expenses due to obesity were estimated to be 3.2 billion in 2017.
- Tobacco use kills over 6,300 Minnesotans every year and costs Minnesota 3.2 billion annually in medical costs.