Has Obesity Hit its Limit?

The increasing waistline of Americans has been making headlines for years. But we’ve got some good news: America is cutting back on the calories.

It looks like people are finally starting to get the hint that stuffing your face is a bad idea. They may even understand that gorging on processed foods is not such a good thing. There have been declines in both calorie intake and consumption of junk food. And much of this is traced back to a study that came out in 1999 and is really starting to show some progress.

Comparing this study to one in the mid-60s study which showed how dangerous cigarettes were, it looks like this information along with some regulations have helped people try and get themselves and especially their kids to watch what they’re putting in their bodies. The soda category is taking the biggest hit as it looks like we are finally curbing our insatiable thirst for sugary drinks with a ten-gallon annual decrease for the typical American (but we still drink way too much sugar).

So if our diets are getting better, are we all going to live longer and healthier? Unfortunately, no. Obesity may be plateauing, but about a third of people are overweight and those overweight continue to get bigger. And just because we’re cutting calories doesn’t mean the typical American consumes the right amount of calories. So there is still a long way to go in the eating category. And we have a longer way to go in increasing our physical activity. We are hopeful that more people will cut soda, candy and other sugary foods – and increase their physical activity.