How many of you are making an extra effort to exercise daily?
If you can honestly answer “me!”, then great job! For most people this is not the case. After much media attention, most Americans understand that we have an obesity problem. Usually, poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle are the first to be blamed but new research adds another contributing factor: the workplace.
Because of changes in the labor force over the past 50 years, we are burning 120 to 140 calories less every day.
Ready to take that mid-day walk yet?
In the last half-century, we have seen a huge decline in physically demanding jobs. Since 1960, the amount of jobs requiring moderate physical activity has dropped from 50 percent to a minimal 20 percent today.
How about now, willing to trade in 30 minutes of your lunch break for a stroll?
So what about the other 80 percent of jobs today? Sedentary, or require little activity. This could account for the estimated one in three Americans who are obese. As physically active jobs are on the decline the rate of obesity is rising. While it is only a piece of the pie, it is an important factor.
If youre still not convinced that you need to make exercise a priority, check out the full article here: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/25/less-active-at-work-americans-have-packed-on-pounds/