It’s alarming to realize that even though the amount of overweight adult Americans keeps on increasing, the actual percentage who are actively trying to lose weight keeps on dropping!
Researchers state that over a quarter of a century the preponderance of American adults who reported themselves overweight went up from just over fifty percent in 1988 to over sixty-six percent by 2014.
During this same time period the number of overweight Americans that said they were trying to lose weight fell from a high of fifty-six percent in 1988 to a dismal low of forty-nine percent by 2014.
Why is America going in the wrong direction when it comes to the critical issue of weight loss? Or is it?
At work there is a little-known phenomenon known as ‘Compensation Perspective.’ As the socially acceptable amount of body weight has increased in America over the years, the perception is that fewer people are actually now overweight, since they seem to fit into contemporary parameters much easier than in the past. So the motivation to lose weight evaporates.
Federal surveys show that more and more people are refusing to be guided by dietary and health standards for weight gain and weight loss. They see a ‘supersize’ society all around them, one that revels in excess, and so it just seems normal to bump up the weight charts for both men and women, giving everyone a little more ‘elbow room.’
Middle aged women across the board seem to be the most affected by the dangerous perception that weight gain is now a ‘normal’ process that can be discounted as a health hazard. This rising tide of indifference is part of the explanation as to why both men and women in America are now backsliding on their diets and workout programs, even though the popularity of weight management supplements like grapefruit essential oils and electrolyte drinks are rising every year.
One of the least understood factors in American weight gain and weight loss is not just the actual physical loss or gain of fat, but the intentions of those with weight problems. Federal health and diet studies for the past twenty years show a steady decline in overweight Americans who both recognize their problem and are attempting to do something about it. American adults are becoming more ‘head in the sand’ about the national issue of weight gain — concentrating on other priorities to let this one slide. Fewer and fewer Americans who consider themselves overweight are currently working on a plan that includes both diet and exercise to combat their problem. In stark terms, they are giving up on themselves and their problem.
The other side of the coin is that more and more American adults have been trying ineffective diet and exercise weight lose plans for years and are finally giving up on the whole idea. The is partially the fault of the many companies that make extravagant promises about weight loss from simply ingesting a pill or doing a special ten minute workout each day. Nothing ever comes of these schemes except discouragement for the overweight person and another dollar in the bank for the slick merchandiser.
In the long run the only known weight loss programs are those that involve a maximum of physical exercise and a minimum of food. There are many sane and healthy weight loss programs available that have been proven effective. Check with your medical practitioner to find a program that is right for you.
