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After analyzing a sample of more than 19,000 people between 2011 and 2014, the researchers found that the average American woman went from 152 pounds in the analogous 1988-1994 report to 169 pounds two decades later. The average waist circumference soared from 35 to 38 inches. Our heights, meanwhile, have remained steady at about 5’4?.
It’s starting young, too. Girls are seven pounds heavier on average than they were two decades ago, while boys weigh a full 13.5 pounds more.
RELATED: Obese Americans Now Outweigh the Overweight
These findings have some pretty serious implications for the health of the population moving forward. Being overweight puts you at higher risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. So what can you do about it? Adopting healthy eating and fitness habits are a good first place to start.