The new obesity numbers are out, and they are higher than ever.
Gallup-Healthways released its latest data on obesity in the United States, showing that in 2014, 27.7 percent of adults were considered obese — up from 25.5 percent in 2008.
The
rate is the highest in the seven years Gallup-Healthways has tracked
obesity. The new report is based on data from phone interviews conducted
from Jan. 2 to Dec. 30, 2014, with 167,029 adults throughout the U.S.
Obesity is determined as having a body mass index (BMI) score
of 30 or higher. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, a BMI of
18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal weight, and a BMI of 18.4 or less is
considered underweight.
Even
though the number of Americans who are of normal weight has not changed
since 2013, more people who were previously considered overweight are
now obese based on their BMI.
Of
the people polled, those ages 65 and older experienced the biggest
increase in obesity (a 4 percentage-point increase from 2008 to 2014),
followed closely by 45-to-64-year-olds (with an increase of 3.5
percentage-points). Other groups that experienced large increases since
2008 include Midwesterners (an increase of 2.9 percent) and women (an
increase of 2.8 percent).
However,
adults ages 18 to 29 only saw a 0.3 percentage-point increase in
obesity from 2008 to 2014 (going from 17.4 percent to 17.7 percent). And
even though black people still have the highest obesity rate of all
measured demographics of 35.5 percent, their obesity rate increased only
0.5 percentage-points from 2008 to 2014 (from 35 percent to 35.5.
percent).
At
this point, most people know that exercise and healthy eating are key
to achieving a healthy weight. So why, still, the creep up in obesity?
It
might have something to do with the association between obesity and
indicators of well-being (such as purpose, social well-being, financial
well-being and physical well-being). Gallup-Healthways researchers found
an association between obesity and low reports of well-being, and even
though each element influences the other — obesity influences
well-being, and vice versa — researchers did note that past data shows
well-being affects future obesity outcomes more than the other way
around.
"To
date, most efforts to curb obesity focus on driving weight loss through
diet and exercise, without addressing other aspects of well-being that
may contribute to obesity," Janna Lacatell, Healthways Lifestyle
Solutions director, said in the report.
"The
rising obesity rate suggests these efforts have been largely
ineffective. While access to evidence-based, proven weight loss programs
emphasizing better nutrition and more physical activity is a critical
component to reducing obesity, these interventions alone are not
enough," Lacatell added in the report. ”To make a truly
measurable impact on reducing obesity rates, interventions should also
address other factors known to influence weight management, such as
financial and social well-being.”
Past
research conducted on Americans’ eating habits also shows that in
general, Americans are eating more healthfully now than a decade ago.
But as LiveScience points out, diet quality differs dramatically depending on income and education,
with those at the high end of the spectrum having healthier diets than
those with lower incomes and education levels. These findings were based
on data from 29,000 adults who were part of the National Health and
Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
SOURCE: bbc
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