Medical experts have long agreed that Americans on average are gaining weight. The percentage of people who are overweight (meaning a BMI of 25-30) now stands at about 35 percent while the percentage of people who are obese (a BMI of 30+) is 34 percent. That's two-thirds of the population.
But there's a new study that contains good and bad news about the two-thirds of us who qualify as obese or overweight. After studying data from 1988 to 2014 for people ages 20 to 59 who had a BMI of over 25, researchers concluded that fewer Americans were trying to lose weight, from 55 percent to 49.
The good news? Well, it means more of us are accepting our bodies no matter what they look like. And that body confidence is a good thing to have--and pass on to our kids and grandkids. Plus, it means that fewer people are indulging in fat jokes--and that's pretty positive.
MUST SEE: Drug Store Workers Criticized Her Shorts, But Her Shocking Response Has the Internet Exploding
On the negative side, doctors are worried that fewer people will be motivated to lose a little weight to reduce the risk of serious diseases, like high-blood pressure, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. But as one of the doctors involved in the study put it, maybe we should be putting more of an emphasis on living a healthier lifestyle and less on the words "obese" or "overweight."
via DailyMail.co.uk
