State legislators' support for evidence-based obesity reduction policies

Objective: This study aimed to gauge state legislators' level of support for evidence-based obesity reduction policies.

Methods: A list of 17 potential obesity reduction measures was sent via a valid and reliable survey questionnaire to a random sample of 800 state legislators from all 50 United States in 2011. Legislators were asked to rate their support for each measure on a three-point Likert-type scale.

Results: There were 250 questionnaires returned. Chi-square tests revealed no significant differences between respondents and non-respondents by sex, political affiliation, or chamber designation. Respondents were approximately evenly split between Republicans (n=117) and Democrats (n=122). Overall, public school and community-based measures were supported at approximately the same levels. Linear regression revealed that political affiliation, race, and perceiving obesity as a serious societal problem were significant predictors of legislator support for obesity reduction policies. Legislator body mass index, level of education, and geographic location were not significant predictors of support.

Conclusions: Public health advocates interested in promoting obesity prevention legislation at the state level are most likely to find support among non-white female Democratic legislators regardless of their BMI who perceive obesity to be a serious societal problem.