In a new study, researchers found that more Americans are trying to lose weight by eating less, exercising, drinking water and trying out new diets, but few of them really succeed.
The research was conducted by a team at Tulane University and elsewhere.
The found that the proportion of people who’ve tried to lose weight during the previous year increased to 42% in 2015-2016, up from 34% in 1999-2000.
At the same time, body mass index (BMI) and weight for the average American also increased:
The average BMI went up to 29.4 in 2015-2016, just under the obesity level at 30. In 1999-2000, the average BMI was 28.
People tipped the scales at an average 184 pounds in 2015-2016, compared to 176 pounds in 1999-2000, according to the survey of about 48,000 adults. Ages ranged from 40 to 64.
The team says it might be possible that people are trying to diet but aren’t pursuing it in an effective manner.
For example, eating less is the most popular weight-loss strategy, with nearly one-third of people trying it.
But people appear to be substituting fattening foods into their diet even as they cut back on the amount they eat.
The team says that eating less and exercising won’t work long-term because the body regulates how much fat it carries, and that regulation is outside personal control.
Detailed research has clearly shown that eating less and exercising more is not effective for long-term weight loss.
Humans can only eat less for short periods, and exercise is vital for wellness but not weight loss.
Human bodies are programmed to carry a certain amount of fat to keep us healthy, much in the same way the body automatically regulates the amount of water or blood it contains.
The team says a true cure for obesity is going to require medications or therapies that help readjust the body’s self-regulation of fat.
One author of the study is Dr. Lu Qi, director of the Obesity Research Center in New Orleans.
The study is published in JAMA Network Open.
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