HHS HealthBeat (September 07, 2006)

Do more to weigh less

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Trying to control weight seems to be one of America's favorite hobbies. A researcher at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found about half of adults had been working on weight control in the 12 months before they were asked in a survey. The study is in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

But with so many trying, why aren't more succeeding? Edward Weiss sees a possible answer in the survey. Three-quarters of people working on weight control dieted. But less than one quarter combined that with at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week.

Weiss says weight control goes better with both:

"Restricting calories at the same time as increasing your physical activity works on what you take in as well as how much you use." (eight seconds)

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: September, 26 2006