Overview
When it comes to obesity, Americans have no difficulty recognizing that our society has a
problem. The majority agree that obesity is the number one threat to public health.
And it is:
More than six out of ten people in the United States are overweight or obese.
But seeing themselves as part of the problem and doing something about it? That’s a very
different story.
A new study of 1,500 Americans, ages 18-65, by Catalyst Healthcare Research finds:
• Most adults who are overweight or obese – even the well-educated – say their health is
excellent or good.
• Most of the overweight or obese say their fitness level is the same as it was last year,
suggesting that they are not motivated to change.
• That attitude is reflected in their exercise patterns: More than half either don’t exercise at
all or merely engage in “naturally occurring exercise,” such as walking up the stairs in their
own home.
“These results suggest that health advocates, health providers, and health plans face a much
deeper problem than merely persuading people of the benefits of losing weight,” says Dan
Prince, president of Catalyst Healthcare Research. “They must find ways to help people face
the hard truth about themselves, while society continues to send mixed messages that soften
the psychological stigma of being overweight.”
