Your health: Fewer heavy Americans are trying to lose weight, study finds
Obesity is more socially acceptable
Fewer overweight Americans have been trying to lose weight in recent years, and researchers wonder if fat acceptance could be among the reasons, The Associated Press report.
The trend found in a new study occurred at the same time obesity rates climbed.
"Socially accepted normal body weight is shifting toward heavier weight. As more people around us are getting heavier, we simply believe we are fine, and no need to do anything with it," said lead author Dr. Jian Zhang, a public health researcher at Georgia Southern University.
Another reason could be people abandoning efforts to drop pounds after repeated failed attempts, Zhang said.
The researchers analyzed U.S. government health surveys over nearly two decades from 1988 through 2014. In the early surveys, about half the adults were overweight or obese. Those numbers climbed to 65 percent by 2014. But the portion of overweight or obese adults who said they were trying to slim down fell from 55 percent to 49 percent in the study.
Dr. Scott Kahan, director of a weight-loss clinic in Washington, said the study is important and echoes previous research. He acknowledged that it has become more acceptable in some circles to be overweight, but that many patients still feel stigmatized. He said many come to his center after repeated attempts to lose weight and some give up for a while out of frustration.
The study found obesity was most common among black women - 55 percent were obese in the most recent survey years, and there was a big decline in black women trying to lose weight. Whether that's because of fat acceptance, dieting frustration or other reasons is not known.
Zhang said there's a positive side to fat acceptance, if it means people feel less ridiculed for their weight. But obesity can increase risks for heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other ailments.
Long-term stress might make you fat
Could constant stress be making you fat?
To find out, English researchers compared stress levels and body weight of more than 2,500 men and women over age 54 who participated in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.
The study, published in the journal Obesity, looked at the levels of a stress hormone called cortisol in locks of hair gathered from participants.
"We found levels of cortisol in the hair to be positively and significantly correlated to larger waist circumference and higher body mass index or BMI," said lead author Sarah Jackson, a research associate at the Institute of Epidemiology and Health at University College London. "These results provide consistent evidence that chronic stress is associated with higher levels of obesity."
Cortisol is a hormone produced in the adrenal glands that is released into the bloodstream in times of stress. In addition to suppressing inflammation and regulating blood pressure, cortisol helps maintain steady supplies of blood sugar and gives an energy boost to handle emergencies.
"There's a lot of evidence that cortisol influences appetite and even our preference for high-calorie comfort foods," Jackson said. "So I know that's tough. But it's best to look for better ways to manage stress and avoid using food as a crutch."