Americans have been gaining weight over the past decade, but not everyone is planning to shed the extra pounds.
A survey from Gallup found that 28% of Americans weigh 200 pounds or more, which was up four percent from the last time the survey was conducted from 2001-2009. The average self-reported weight also rose five pounds from 174 to 178. The average weight broken down by gender revealed similar weight gains with womenâs weight increasing by three pounds and menâs weight increasing by four pounds.
The average weight may have risen, but that doesnât mean more people are trying to lose it. From 2001 to 2009, 59% of Americans reported that they wanted to lose weight. The latest results revealed that only 54% of Americans were looking to cut back.
One reason that fewer people may be looking to lose weight is that fewer Americans described themselves as being overweight. Only 38% of respondents said they were âvery overweightâ or âsomewhat overweightâ compared to 41% in the previous decade. The percentage of Americans who felt their weight was âabout rightâ climbed three percent to 56% in the past 10 years.
Additionally, the âideal weightâ Americans have reported expanded too. In the early 2000s, 11% of Americans believed being 200 or more pounds was ideal. Now, 14% of Americans feel 200 or more pounds is where they should be.
One in five deaths in the United States is connected to an obesity-related health problem. Obesity was classified by the New England Journal of Medicine as a global epidemic in 2017, with America leading the way as the most overweight nation.
