Obesity Discussion Forums - View Single Post - Anyone see that poll on CNN Headline News about Obese American's viewpoints?

Obesity Discussion · 08-03-06, 06:45 PM

William, it's all over the news today!

Here's one of the articles I came across today:

August 3, 2006

More than three-quarters of obese Americans polled say they have healthy eating habits, according to a survey of more than 11 000 people.

About 40% of obese people also said they did "vigorous" exercise at least three times a week, the telephone survey found.

Yet according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly two-thirds of Americans are overweight or heavier, and nearly one-third qualify as obese.

"There is, perhaps, some denial going on," said Dr David Schutt of Thomson Medstat, the Michigan health-care research firm that conducted the survey.

"Or there is a lack of understanding of what does it mean to be eating healthy, and what is vigorous exercise."

The survey found 28% of obese people reported snacking two or more times a day, only slightly more than 24% of normal-weight people who said they did.

But the survey failed to ask people what - and how much - they ate, noted Dr Jeffrey Koplan of Atlanta's Emory University.

"The questions leave out quantity," said Koplan, who chairs an Institute of Medicine committee on progress in preventing childhood obesity.

Respondents to the survey were contacted through random digit-dialing by computer. The researchers relied on respondents to be truthful.

Obesity was determined by body-mass index, a calculation based on height and weight. Using BMI, a man 1.78m tall would be considered overweight at 78-94kg and obese at 94.03kg or more.

About 3 100 of the people in the survey were obese or morbidly obese; an estimated 4 200 more were overweight; about 3 800 were normal weight and about 200 were underweight, according to Thomson Medstat.

Those demographics were generally consistent with the federal health survey that actually measured and weighed people, said Schutt, the company's associate medical director.

One of the largest differences was the answer to the question: How often do you eat all the food you are served at restaurants? About 41% of obese people said they always did, while 31% of normal-weight people always did. - Sapa-AP

Article

08-03-06, 06:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
Obesity Discussion Administrator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,960 Weight Statistics 8/1/2006 Start Date: 185 lb Start Weight: 152 lb Current Weight: 155 lb Goal Weight: -33 lb Weight Loss: 5/1/2007 Goal Date:	Re: Anyone see that poll on CNN Headline News about Obese American's viewpoints? William, it's all over the news today! Here's one of the articles I came across today: August 3, 2006 More than three-quarters of obese Americans polled say they have healthy eating habits, according to a survey of more than 11 000 people. About 40% of obese people also said they did "vigorous" exercise at least three times a week, the telephone survey found. Yet according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly two-thirds of Americans are overweight or heavier, and nearly one-third qualify as obese. "There is, perhaps, some denial going on," said Dr David Schutt of Thomson Medstat, the Michigan health-care research firm that conducted the survey. "Or there is a lack of understanding of what does it mean to be eating healthy, and what is vigorous exercise." The survey found 28% of obese people reported snacking two or more times a day, only slightly more than 24% of normal-weight people who said they did. But the survey failed to ask people what - and how much - they ate, noted Dr Jeffrey Koplan of Atlanta's Emory University. "The questions leave out quantity," said Koplan, who chairs an Institute of Medicine committee on progress in preventing childhood obesity. Respondents to the survey were contacted through random digit-dialing by computer. The researchers relied on respondents to be truthful. Obesity was determined by body-mass index, a calculation based on height and weight. Using BMI, a man 1.78m tall would be considered overweight at 78-94kg and obese at 94.03kg or more. About 3 100 of the people in the survey were obese or morbidly obese; an estimated 4 200 more were overweight; about 3 800 were normal weight and about 200 were underweight, according to Thomson Medstat. Those demographics were generally consistent with the federal health survey that actually measured and weighed people, said Schutt, the company's associate medical director. One of the largest differences was the answer to the question: How often do you eat all the food you are served at restaurants? About 41% of obese people said they always did, while 31% of normal-weight people always did. - Sapa-AP Article __________________