Fast Facts
According to the NIH:
- Globally, more than 1 billion adults are overweight, at least 300 million of them obese.
- An estimated 22 million children under five are overweight.
- Obesity and overweight pose a major risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure (hypertension) and stroke, and certain forms of cancer.
- Key causes: increased consumption of energy-dense foods high in saturated fats and sugars, and reduced physical activity.
Caption: A couple from the 1960s and a couple from 2002
In an extensive report on overweight and obesity in America, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that average adult Americans are 25 pounds heavier than they were in 1960.
Average Americans: Getting Taller, Heavier
2002 (latest figures) |
Height |
Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Men (20 – 74 years) | 5'9.5" | 191 pounds |
| Women (20 – 74 years) | 5'4" | 164.3 pounds |
1960 |
Height |
Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Men (20 – 74 years) | 5'8" | 166 pounds |
| Women (20 – 74 years) | 5'3" | 140 pounds |
Of course, when it comes to good health, there's nothing like taking a leaf out of someone else's book—as this advice from 1908 clearly shows.
Photo: from Conn HW, Introductory Physiology and Hygiene (Silver, Burdett and Company, 1908)
As this 1892 ad for obesity belts illustrates, Americans have always had a passion for quick fixes.
Photo: History of Medicine Division, National Library of Medicine
But as the latest research demonstrates – and this modern poster from the American Dietetic Association urges – there are no short cuts to losing weight. Educating yourself and your family about obesity, eating right and exercising are the best ways to assure a healthy weight.
Photo: History of Medicine Division, National Library of Medicine
To Find Out More
For many more images from the history of medicine, visit the History of Medicine Division of the National Library of Medicine at www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/.
