Obese Americans in denial about their health, says report

A new study has revealed that the majority of American adults who are either overweight or obese think of themselves as in good health, despite the well-known risks connected with obesity . This view is also shown in the lack of exercise undertaken by most people in the US, with over half of them not exercising at all or only doing necessary exercise, such as walking up the stairs.
The survey of 1,500 people aged between 18 and 65, carried out by Catalyst Healthcare Research, showed that 60 per cent of Americans believe that obesity is the main threat to public health, much more than cancer, which came in second place with only 16 per cent.
For the people considered to be either obese or overweight, 11 per cent of respondents thought themselves to be in excellent health, while another 61 per cent felt they were in good health. The survey also found that 60 per cent were overweight or obese as measured by their body mass index (BMI), similar to the overall figure for the US population.
Dan Prince, president of Catalyst Healthcare Research, commented “These results suggest that many Americans are living in denial about their health status.”
He added “Health advocates face a much deeper problem than merely persuading people of the benefits of losing weight – they must find ways to help people face the hard truth about themselves.”