CHICAGO (AP) – Fewer overweight Americans have been trying to lose weight in recent years, and researchers wonder if fat acceptance could be among the reasons.
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. The surveys involved in-person physical exams and health-related questions including asking participants if they’d tried to lose weight within the past year. More than 27,000 adults aged 20 to 59 were included. They were not asked to explain their answers.