Results of a recent Harris Poll have revealed that a staggering 80% of people aged 25 and over are overweight. To determine whether participants were overweight researchers used the body mass index (BMI), which is calculated from a person’s weight and height. On the BMI scale a score of between 20 and 24.9 is classed as healthy, 25 to 29.9 is overweight, and anyone scoring 30 and over is classed as obese. The results of this year’s poll show that the number of people aged 25 and over who are overweight is on the increase, as the figure has risen from 71% in 1995, and 58% nineteen years ago in 1983. Furthermore, the percentage of adults who are at least 20% overweight is now 33% – more than double the number back in 1983. However, not all the results of the poll were bad news, figures showed that 23% of US adults are smokers – 3% less than in 1995 and 7% less than in 1983.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.cnn.com/health on the 5th March 2002
