More Americans Aim To Lose Weight But Average BMI Is Up

More Americans Aim To Lose Weight But Average BMI Is Up

More American adults are trying to lose weight these days, but the average body mass index of Americans has increased, research finds.

It comes as no surprise that Americans struggle with weight loss, but the new study reveals the extent to which many people try, and fail, to shed extra pounds.

The study compares data from more than 48,000 adults surveyed in 1999-2000 and 2015-2016. Researchers found the number of adults who reported they had attempted to lose weight increased from 34% to 42% during the 15-year time period.

The study also found adults reduced how much they ate, exercised more, drank more water, added more fruits and vegetables to their diets, and cut back on sugar intake as ways to drop the pounds.


 Get The Latest By Email

Weekly Magazine Daily Inspiration

Researchers observed the prevalence of obesity among adults increased from 33.7% to 39.6% between 2007–2008 to 2015–2016.

“These findings suggest that although 34–42% of US adults in our study reported weight-loss efforts, many of them might either not actually implement weight-loss strategies or apply a minimal level of effort, which yielded unsatisfactory results,” says corresponding author of the study Lu Qi, director of the Tulane University Obesity Research Center.

“Reduced food consumption is one common strategy to lose weight, but modified diets are difficult to maintain.”

More Americans reported using exercise to lose weight, Qi says, but the researchers found most people didn’t do enough to increase their strength and aerobic capacity.

Researchers say those who at least tried to lose weight might not be the people who truly needed to. The study also found the number of people who were truly overweight or obese but perceived themselves to be “approximately the right weight” increased from 1999-2000 to 2015-2016.

“These findings suggest a need to increase the promotion of effective strategies for weight loss, including caloric reduction and increased physical activity, among all adults attempting to lose weight,” says Qi.

“Notably, adherence is the primary factor predictive of a successful response to a weight-loss attempt. Therefore, weight-loss strategies that consider a participant’s preferences and abilities may help them stick with it long term.”

The study appears in JAMA Network Open.

Original Study

About the Author

Lu Qi, director of the Tulane University Obesity Research Center, is the corresponding author of the study.

books_health

AVAILABLE LANGUAGES

English Afrikaans Arabic Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Traditional) Danish Dutch Filipino Finnish French German Greek Hebrew Hindi Hungarian Indonesian Italian Japanese Korean Malay Norwegian Persian Polish Portuguese Romanian Russian Spanish Swahili Swedish Thai Turkish Ukrainian Urdu Vietnamese

Thursday, 27 May 2021 05:24

Life, by its very nature is … alive! Because it is alive, it is not just responding in a set, mechanical way, but rather it is responsive to what is needed and helpful and useful. Cells might...

Wednesday, 26 July 2023 12:55

With the rising cost of living, gyms memberships and fitness classes are becoming increasingly unaffordable. But the good news is you can make just as much progress at home.

Saturday, 03 April 2021 08:08

Coffee, green tea and other caffeinated drinks are a popular way to start the morning. Not only does it give many people a much-needed boost, but caffeine can also help when it comes to fitness.

Thursday, 15 April 2021 13:22

Skin brushing is a highly effective technique for cleansing the lymphatic system. Topics covered in this article: Benefits of Skin Brushing; What type of skin brush is the best to use; How to Brush...

Monday, 17 May 2021 08:55

Maybe you’re trying to eat healthier these days, aiming to get enough of the good stuff and limit the less-good stuff. You’re paying attention to things like fiber and fat and vitamins… and...

Monday, 07 June 2021 08:07

Injury to the adult brain is all too common. A brain injury will often show up on brain scans as a well-defined area of damage. But often the changes to the brain extend far beyond the visible...

New Attitudes - New Possibilities

InnerSelf.comClimateImpactNews.com | InnerPower.net
MightyNatural.com | WholisticPolitics.com | InnerSelf Market
Copyright ©1985 - 2021 InnerSelf Publications. All Rights Reserved.