A survey has revealed that Americans weigh more this decade compared to the previous one but fewer adults want to lose weight.
A new Gallup survey showed that 28% of Americans said they weighed 200 pounds or more between 2010 and 2019, increasing by 4% from the 2001 to 2009 period but fewer Americans now consider themselves overweight or obese.
While the respondents recognize that being heavier does not bode well for their health, their responses reflect a change in attitude toward weight. The poll discovered that fewer US adults want to lose weight at only 54% and nearly 40% of men and women are content with their current weight.
However, 60% of women expressed their desire to lose weight even though men are more likely to weigh 200 pounds or more at 42% compared to just 14% of women. Currently, the average self-reported weight of Americans has increased by 4 pounds to 178 pounds.
The adult BMI calculator of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that while 200 pounds is not an unhealthy weight for people 6 feet 4 inches or taller, it is considered overweight or even obese for the majority of Americans who are shorter.
While the Gallup results may not be very accurate as they are self-reported, so respondents may not know their exact weight or where it falls in the BMI range, a 2018 CDC study showed similar results. The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics found that the average weight of men and women are increasing, even though their average heights have remained the same.
Obesity is typically defined as having a body mass index of 30 or higher, while an overweight BMI starts around 25. The average American BMI calculated in the CDC study was somewhere around 30.
Obesity is considered a national epidemic in the US and a recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey revealed that over 70% of American adults are overweight or obese.
