While average daily caloric intake in the US has remained stable over the past two decades, physical activity levels have declined. This has led to an increase in abdominal obesity, especially in younger women. Abdominal obesity, defined as a waist circumference over 34 inches for women or 40 inches for men, is an independent risk factor for health problems even for those who are not overweight overall. Increasing physical activity by 100 minutes per week was shown to reduce waist circumference in both men and women.

1. OBESITY & lack of physical activity
What We Already Know
Increased waist circumference is an independent predictor of morbidity
and mortality even in persons with a normal body mass index (BMI).
For most Americans, physical activity can protect against weight gain
and lowers the health related risks associated with obesity and
Recently, The American Journal of Medicine® published a study titled
“Obesity, Abdominal Obesity, Physical Activity and Caloric Intake in US Adults: 1988 to 2010.”
Following are the study’s key findings.
The average daily caloric intake in the US has not
1 significantly changed over the last 2 decades.
1988 - 2010
2524.5 2450
1724.4 1759.4
1988 2010
3000
2500
2000
Fewer Americans are engaging in leisure-time
2 physical activity.
100
80
60
40
20
While Americans are eating basically the same number
of calories, the incidence of abdominal obesity is
increasing, especially in younger women. 3
AVERAGE
CALORIC
INTAKE
The Facts
The average waist circumference
decreased in both women and men
when they increased their physical
activity by 100 minutes per week.
Source:
Ladabaum U. et. al., Obesity, Abdominal
Obesity, Physical Activity and Caloric
Intake in US Adults: 1988 to 2010.
2014 Aug; Am J Med. 127(8), 717-27.
>40” >34”
Fat around the waist is a
major risk factor even in
people who are not
overweight.
Physical activity reduces the eect of
these risks.
Abdominal obesity is defined as waist
circumference greater than 34 inches for
women and 40 inches for men.
KEY
FINDINGS
abdominal obesity.
Daily Caloric Intake
Increase in incidence of abdominal obesity
in women as percentage of adult population
1988-2010
1500
Intermediate
leisure-time
activity*
NO
leisure-time
activity
Ideal
leisure-time
activity*
*Intermediate leisure-time activity is defined as 1-149 minutes/week of moderate activi-tes,
1-74 minutes/week of vigorous activities, or 1-149 minutes/week of a combination
of moderate and vigorous activities. Ideal leisure-time activity is defined as 150
minutes/week of moderate activities, 75 minutes/week of vigorous activities, or 150
minutes/week of a combination of moderate and vigorous activities.
0
1988 2010 1988 2010
foodinsight.org
Read the story here:
5
18-39
40-64
65
10
% OF POPULATION WITH ABDOMINAL OBESITY
WOMEN BY
AGE GROUP
15 20