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A new study shows that more Americans have given up on losing weight.
A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) was conducted on 27,350 participants, who were either overweight or obese, over three periods between 1988 and 2014. The survey determined whether or not the participants tried to lose weight within a 12-month timeframe. Results of the first survey period, conducted from 1988 to 1994, showed that 56% of the respondents attempted to lose weight in the previous year. However, the figure dropped to 49% during the last survey period, which was from 2009 to 2014.
The researchers cited several reasons why most Americans are no longer keen on losing weight. Aside from the actual difficulty of shedding weight, some people find it pointless to exert effort because modern science is now capable of maintaining the overall health of overweight people. In addition, the state of being overweight has also become a norm. As a result, some doctors express apathy over weight issues, such that some no longer discuss weight with their patients.
An earlier research published in the journal Obesity has found that women aged 35 and below were less likely to describe themselves as overweight. Most men also did not perceive themselves as overweight, regardless of age group. This perception has possibly contributed to people’s low motivation to lose weight.
Despite these findings, Dr. Jian Zhang, a senior researcher at NHANES, suggests that adopting a healthy lifestyle through proper diet and exercise, rather than focusing on weight loss, is the key to improving public health.