Food Played the Larger Role in America's Thirty Year Weight Gain

We often say that lifestyle change is necessary for weight reduction. Lifestyle change usually includes diet modification and exercise. Diet and exercise are both important in weight reduction and weight control. However, some experts conclude that the number of calories we consume is more important than the exercise we get, when it comes to weight loss and weight control.

Of course, exercise is important for keeping the body in shape, and we should all engage in frequent exercise. Still, for weight loss or weight control, calorie intake appears to be the most significant factor. And a recent Australian study confirms the importance of calorie intake in weight gain.

We’ve all heard that the American sedentary lifestyle is a large contributor to the weight gain in American. We’ve heard that over the past few decades, Americans have spent more time working in offices than on farms and in factories. And leisure activities that include watching television and using a computer have replaced physical activity. Thus, sedentary activities have contributed heavily to Americans’ weight gain.

But according to the above mentioned Australian study, the weight gain in America over the past 30 years was due to an increase in calorie intake more so than a lack of physical activity. In fact, for American adults, there may even have been an increase in physical activity over the past 30-year period compared to previous years.

Therefore, the past 30-year American weight gain must be attributed to increased calorie intake. Moreover, according to the study, adults need to reduce their daily calorie intake by 500 calories to return the 1970 body weight numbers. And children should decrease their daily calorie intake by 350 calories.

These specific numbers should give weight loss centers calorie intake targets around which to design diets. Centers ought to design and market healthy diet programs that can reduce an adult’s calorie intake by 500 calories per day, and a child’s calorie intake by 350 calories.

(Please leave a comment by clicking on the "COMMENTS" link at the lower right part of this blog post.)

--------------------------------------------------

Tags: environmental scanning, strategic management, bariatric marketing, bariatric strategy, swot