Study finds more food is only cause of U.S. obesity

William Atkins
Friday, 08 May 2009 20:46

Science - Health

In addition, the eating of fewer calories each day and the increasing of physical activities each day, together, would more quickly turn around the growing weight problem in the United States.

This advice is obviously not new nor unique.

However, what is new is the statement by these researchers that eating more food each day is, alone, the problem of obesity in the United States.

The idea that people are exercising less each day, since the 1970s, does not seem to be a major factor in obesity.

Swinburn and his team found that U.S. children had increased their weight, on average. by four kilograms (nine pounds) over the past three decades, while U.S. adults had added, on average, eight kilograms (17 pounds) to their weight.

The AFP article "Study blames over-eating, not poor exercise for US obesity" states, "For the US population to return to its leaner, 1970s self, children would have to cut their intake by about 350 calories a day -- equal to one can of fizzy drink and a small portion of French fries, and adults by about 500 calories -- the equivalent of a Big Mac burger."

There are a lot of calories in fat-filled French fries, sugared sodas, and fat-filled hamburgers.

For more details of their study, please read the EurekAlert article “Increased food intake alone explains the increase in body weight in the United State ,” which was mentioned earlier.