South Carolina State Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Profile

Many American communities lack environments that could support healthy diets and regular physical activity. Healthy dietary and physical activity practices can lower the risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.^1,2

In addition, excess calorie intake and physical inactivity contribute to obesity, which is associated with some of the leading preventable chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. Among adults, the medical costs associated with obesity are an estimated $147 billion.^1,2,3

Public health approaches can help make healthy options available, accessible, and affordable. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) supports the nation to establish sustainable programs to improve dietary quality, increase physical activity, and reduce obesity and overweight. DNPAO funds and works with state health departments through a cooperative agreement (State Public Health Actions to Prevent and Control Diabetes, Heart Disease, Obesity and Associated Risk Factors and Promote School Health program).

This profile highlights data on dietary quality, physical activity, and obesity in South Carolina and select activities funded with this cooperative agreement. For more information about CDC’s work to support healthy eating and physical activity, please see the DNPAO website.

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Population Statistics

Estimated Population of South Carolina: 4,896,146⁴

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Adult Statistics

Dietary Behaviors⁵

• 45.2% of adults reported consuming fruit less than one time daily.
• 26.8% of adults reported consuming vegetables less than one time daily.

Physical Activity⁵

• 49.1% of adults achieved the equivalent of at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week.

Overweight and Obesity⁵

• 35.0% of adults were overweight.
• 32.1% of adults had obesity.

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Adolescent Statistics

Dietary Behaviors⁵

• 45.7% of adolescents reported consuming fruit less than one time daily.
• 45.6% of adolescents reported consuming vegetables less than one time daily.

Physical Activity⁵

• 23.8% of adolescents were physically active at least 60 minutes per day on all 7 days in the past week.

Overweight and Obesity⁵

• 16.8% of adolescents were overweight.
• 13.9% of adolescents had obesity.

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Child Statistics

Breastfeeding⁵

• 66.8% of infants were ever breastfed.
• 38.4% of infants were breastfed for at least 6 months.

Overweight and Obesity⁵

• 14.2% of children aged 2 to 4 years in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program were overweight.
• 12.6% of children aged 2 to 4 years in WIC had obesity.

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State Activities

South Carolina worked on the following select activities during the first 2 years of the State Public Health Actions program.

• Developed a policy analysis tool to evaluate mandated county comprehensive plans for inclusion of healthy eating and active living concepts. Collected and analyzed all 45 county comprehensive plans.
• Created the South Carolina Health + Planning Toolkit for use by planners, planning commissions, coalitions, and related stakeholders on how to incorporate healthy eating and active living concepts into local planning efforts.Over 100 community planning, government, and health representatives were trained on the toolkit.
• Provided 20 nutrition trainings to 619 child care providers to meet the nutrition training hours required by the SC Department of Social Services' Quality Rating and Improvement System.
• Provided 17 physical activity trainings to 547child care providers to meet the physical activity training hours required by the SC Department of Social Services' Quality Rating and Improvement System.
• Collaborated with the SC Birth Outcomes Initiative to increase participation in CDC’s Maternity Practices in Infant and Nutrition and Care survey from 73% to 90% among South Carolina birthing facilities.
• Worked with the SC Birth Outcomes Initiative to promote Baby-Friendly© Certified Hospitals resulting in seven Baby-Friendly hospitals and two hospitals pending Baby-Friendly hospital designation as of June 1, 2015.
• Collaborated with the SC Food Access Task Force to release the Access to Healthy Food in SC recommendations report at the South Carolina Food Policy Council Meeting in 2014. Recommendations in the report address capital, affordability, supply, planning, and transportation.

Program Highlights

• South Carolina Takes Action to Reduce High Obesity Rates [PDF-431KB]

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