Are Sedentary Jobs Behind Our Obesity Epidemic?

Why are Americans so fat? Poor eating habits get lots of blame, but two new studies have identified another possible culprit.

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By CBS/AP

Story Created: May 27, 2011 at 2:33 PM AKDT

Story Updated: May 27, 2011 at 2:33 PM AKDT

What's the way to shrink this growing problem?

"If we're going to try to get to the root of what's causing the obesity epidemic, work-related physical activity needs to be in the discussion," study author Dr. Timothy S. Church, professor of preventive medicine research at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La., told the New York Times. 

In addition to talking, we need to get moving, said Dr. Ross C. Brownson, professor of epidemiology at Washington University in St. Louis. "We need to think about physical activity as a more robust concept than just recreational physical activity," he told the Times. "In many ways we've engineered physical activity out of our lives, so we've got to find ways to put it back into our lives."

So instead of simply heading to your sofa - or even a gym - after work, Brownson suggests taking walks during breaks at work or finding other opportunities for exercise all day long.

Time to get up out of your swivel chair?

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chickenlegs said on Monday, May 30 at 9:06 AM

thank you gary! there are people of every size at most jobs. i was an alaska va volunteer for almost 7 years and omigosh what a range of sizes there are. x-small to xxxxxL. it is our food attitudes, our food choices and serving sizes, our exercise level, plus how each person's body processes the food that makes the difference. a person's job can make a difference, but i've seen plus sized sports caoaches and i've also seen normal sized office workers and truck drivers.

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Gary said on Friday, May 27 at 3:27 PM

Our country is fat because of its overall mentality about everything. Not JUST because we sit on our butts. Our culture nurtures laziness and entitlement. If we DO work out we only do it much of the time if it's "fun" or if our friends join in. I watched part of Biggest Loser the other night and saw people that lost the equivalent of another person. Then they stand there and cry while people cheer for them and talk about how hard it was. They want praise for losing what they should never have gained in the first place! What a monument to excess and self pity we've become.

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