People are More Active, But Just As Fat

Written by Shoshana Pritzker Tuesday, 18 October 2011 15:36

People are More Active, But Just As Fat

More than 66 percent of Americans are overweight or obese. The good news is that more people are exercising, and that the obesity rate has leveled off. The bad news is that obesity rates are not decreasing.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 34.7 percent of Americans engaged in regular leisure-time exercise in 2009, compared to 31.9 percent in 2008. Exercise is essential for long-term weight management. However, most people can’t sustain weight loss unless they also restrict caloric intake by 100 to 300 calories per day. (Reuters, January 16, 2010)