Most Americans Refuse to Accept They're Fat
April 11, 2006 — -- When it comes to their weight, most Americans view their scale through rose-colored glasses, recent studies and a survey show.
About 65 percent of Americans are overweight, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. A third of overweight people are actually obese, or very overweight -- a number that has doubled in the last 30 years.
But, judging by a recent survey, many Americans don't have a very clear view of their own weight. According to the Pew Research Center, which spoke with more than 2,000 U.S. adults, nine out of 10 people think that most other Americans are fat, but only four out of every 10 people think they are overweight.
"Fully half of all respondents in the Pew Survey whose reports of their own height and weight would lead them to be categorized by the government as 'overweight' say that they consider their weight 'just about right,'" state the survey authors in a report.
Why the disconnect with reality? Pew executive vice president Paul Taylor said he didn't know for sure but said "human nature" could probably be blamed.
"It's not a terribly surprising finding, but it's interesting nonetheless -- the little things we tell ourselves," Taylor said.
The survey also found that women tended to say they were an inch taller and 5 pounds lighter than they probably were, while men tended to say they were two inches taller and 6 pounds heavier.
Most Americans are fairly well aware about the health dangers of being overweight, and how to lose weight effectively. Most said that not getting enough exercise and a lack of willpower when it came to eating contributed to being overweight.
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