Late last month, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services released the Healthy Wisconsin improvement plan, aimed at improving health outcomes across Wisconsin and meeting the goals set forth in Healthiest Wisconsin 2020, the state’s 10-year health plan. Healthy Wisconsin focuses on five priority areas – alcohol, nutrition and physical activity, opioids, suicide, and tobacco – and includes resources and strategies to address policies, systems, and environments for each of these areas.
Healthy Wisconsin shares several priorities with the WI Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan 2015-2020 and the WI Cancer Council’s Policy Agenda. We know that alcohol causes at least seven different cancers and that decreasing binge and heavy drinking is essential to reducing the cancer burden in our state. We also know that extra weight increases a person’s risk for many types of cancers and can negatively affect cancer treatment, and that creating opportunities for physical activity will encourage healthier behaviors.
Finally, we know that lung cancer is still Wisconsin’s leading cause of cancer deaths, and that decreasing tobacco use and exposure must continue to be a high priority, especially as the use of tobacco products such as e-cigarettes is on the rise in Wisconsin, particularly among our middle and high-school students. Healthy Wisconsin is a wonderful resource for WI Cancer Council members. To learn more, check out the Healthy Wisconsin website, or download the full report here.