Gyms will be packed this month as many people tackle their New Year's resolutions to lose weight. But don't forget to watch what you eat -- and encourage your children to do the same. A Gallup health audit indicates that, while teens are more likely than adults to say they get enough exercise, similar percentages of teens and adults report having poor eating habits.
In December, the surgeon general issued a report indicating that 61% of Americans are overweight. As a group, Americans seem moderately aware of their need to lose weight; 44% told Gallup in November* they consider themselves to be overweight, while 59% said they would like to lose weight. In response to a Gallup health audit conducted last April, 54% said that they "weigh more than they should." **
That April audit also revealed a difference between teens and adults regarding the habits that lead to being overweight. When asked about a list of "things they have done that are not good for their health," equal numbers of adults (37% each) agreed that "I don't watch my diet" and "I don't get regular exercise." In comparison, only half that percentage of teens (19%) felt they don't get enough exercise, but similar numbers of adults and teens said they don't watch their diet (37% of adults, 33% of teens).
"I'm going to read you a list of some things people do that are not good for their health. For each one, please tell me if it describes you."
| Adults | Teens | |
| % | % | |
| I weigh more than I should | 54 | 21 |
| I don't get enough sleep | 42 | 48 |
| I drink alcohol | 38 | 13 |
| I don't watch my diet | 37 | 33 |
| I don't get regular exercise | 37 | 19 |
| I don't get regular check- ups | 27 | 26 |
| I smoke cigarettes | 23 | 11 |
Most middle school and high school students have some form of physical activity built into their curriculums. Many teens may not consider that they have much control over their own diets, because their parents are the ones who bring home the food.
However, the fact that the same proportion of teens as adults characterizes his or her diet as unhealthy, suggests that eating habits formed young are likely to be carried until adulthood. It follows that there may be a great deal of benefit in teaching kids to be more conscious of, and responsible for, their own dietary intake at an earlier age. Bad habits averted early on could literally save a great deal of heartache. The surgeon general's report says overweight adolescents have a 70% chance of becoming overweight adults, with the attendant risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
*Based on telephone interviews with 1,005 adults, aged 18+, conducted Nov. 8-11, 2001. For results based on this sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±3%.
**Based on telephone interviews with 1,000 adults, aged 18+, conducted Apr. 11-29, 2001. For results based on this sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±3%.