Obesity rates are on the rise, and it does not appear that they will be slowing down any time soon. There have been efforts to get the rising obesity rates to decrease, but are those efforts enough?
Mississippi is ranked as one of the most obese states in America (35%), and a new report suggests that the obesity rate could increase to as much as 67% of adults in less than 20 years.
This report also states that by 2030, the national level of obesity will increase above 42%, compared to the current rate of 36%.
But what could be contributing to such a sharp increase in a short period of time? Researchers at Columbia University say it could be an excessive use of social media. That’s right, your time spent on Facebook could be contributing to weight gain.
The study, published in the Journal of Consumer Research, found that frequent Facebook users consistently had a higher BMI of around 26 and were more prone to binge eating compared to occasional users, who had an average BMI of 24. A BMI of 24 is in the healthy weight range, while 26 is considered overweight, and a BMI of 30 and above is obese.
Is too much social media use causing you to negatively alter your healthy eating habits? Rather than being glued to the computer all day, instead, make an effort to enjoy the outdoors and engage in conversation with friends and family in person. It can help keep you on the healthy track!
