‘Healthy lifestyles’ wane in US
May 28th, 2009
Author: admin
BBC News
The number of US adults following a healthy lifestyle has fallen in the last two decades despite increasing public health campaigns, a study shows.
A review of two studies stretching back to 1988 found the proportion of obese adults has crept up to over a third.
Levels of exercise also fell, as did consumption of fruit and vegetables.
The American Journal of Medicine study found those with health problems were no more likely to follow a healthy lifestyle than their fitter peers.
Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina compared two large-scale studies covering the period 1988 to 2006.
During those 18 years, the percentage of adults aged 40-74 years with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 rose from 28% to 36%.
The number of people exercising three times a week or more fell from 53% to 43%, while the number of people eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day fell by nearly 40%.
At the same time, smoking levels remained the same and moderate drinking slightly increased. Read more…
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