- Fewer overweight Americans are trying to lose weight, a new study claims
- About 55% were trying to lose weight in 1988 compared to 49% in 2014
- This is despite climbing obesity rates – rising from 53 percent to 66 percent
- Researchers say the trend might be due to the increase of ‘fat acceptance’
Mary Kekatos For Dailymail.com
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Fewer overweight adults are trying to lose pounds despite rapidly rising obesity rates, a new study has found.
More than 35 percent of American adults are obese and more than 34 percent are overweight, according to data from the National Institutes of Health.
The researchers say that social acceptance of heavier weights – known as ‘fat acceptance’ – is increasing.
They say if more individuals who are overweight or obese are satisfied with their weight, then fewer might be motivated to lose unhealthy pounds.
Fewer overweight adults are trying to lose weight despite an increase in obesity rates, a new study says
The study, conducted at Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to assess the trend in the percentage of adults who were overweight or obese and trying to lose weight.
Three periods were looked at: from 1988 to 1994, from 1999 to 2004, and from 2000 to 2014.
The participants were between the ages 20 and 59 years and had either an overweight body mass index (BMI) of 25 to less than 30, or an obese BMI of 30 or greater.
Researchers asked the participants if they had tried to lose weight during the past 12 months.
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They found that overweight and obesity prevalence increased throughout the study period in the more than 27,350 adult participants.
About half of adults (53 percent) were obese when the study started, but this increased to 66 percent by 2014 – that’s more than two in three adults.
But the percentage of overweight or obese adults who said they were trying to slim down fell from 55 percent to 49 percent.
The authors wrote that fewer adults trying to lose weight may be due to body weight misperception – reducing to the motivation to engage in weight loss efforts – or primary care clinicians not discussing weight issues with patients.
American plus-size model, Tess Holliday, has been accused of promoting ‘fat acceptance’ by falsely labeling it as ‘body positivity’
Additionally, they noted that the longer adults live with obesity, the less they may be willing to attempt weight loss, in particular if they had attempted weight loss multiple times without success.
Dr Scott Kahan, director of a weight-loss clinic in Washington, said the study is important and echoes previous research.
He said that it while it has become more acceptable in some circles to be overweight, many patients still feel stigmatized.
Dr Kahan added that he’s had several patients come to his clinic after repeated attempts to lose weight without much success.
The study found obesity was most common among black women – 55 percent were obese in the most recent survey years – and there was a big decline in black women trying to lose weight.
But the researchers say whether this is because of fat acceptance – a social movement seeking to change anti-fat bias in social attitudes – or other reasons is unknown.
‘Socially accepted normal body weight is shifting toward heavier weight. As more people around us are getting heavier, we simply believe we are fine, and no need to do anything with it,’ said lead author Dr Jian Zhang, a public health researcher at Georgia Southern University.
But he noted that there is a positive side to fat acceptance, if it means people feel less ridiculed for their weight.
It has been well-documented, however, that obesity can increase the risks for heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other ailments.
The findings ‘are a very serious concern,’ he said.
Dr Zhang added: ‘We should forget the words “fat” or “obesity”,’ saying that a healthy lifestyle may be an effective way to help people lose weight.
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