Americans resolve to lose weight and quit smoking in 2011

Tuesday, 04 January 2011 13:45

Losing weight and quitting smoking top the list of New Year's resolutions for 2011, reports the AFP.

Forty-four percent of Americans planned to make New Year's resolutions this year, revealed a poll by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion. Of those individuals, 16 percent said they planned to lose weight, 17 percent said they wanted to quit smoking, and 13 percent resolved to spend less money.

Other popular resolutions for 2011 included being a better person, getting a better job, becoming more politically involved, and getting closer to God.

With medical costs for obese adults 147 billion dollars more than those for average-weight adults, losing weight could help individuals and the economy as a whole save more money. In addition to increased medical care for weight-related health conditions, obesity costs the economy in terms of high absenteeism, increased disability, and lost productivity.

According to reports published in 2010, overweight children also achieve less in school.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has also published a list of recommended New Year's resolutions for children aged five and older. Four of them relate to eating healthier and being more active, including limiting soda and fruit drinks to one a day, and engaging in a fun sport or other physical activity at least three times a week.

New technology may also help Americans lose weight, with calorie-counting apps and online food diaries becoming increasingly popular.

In 2010, six out of 10 Americans who made New Year's resolutions stuck to them for at least part of the year, reports the Marist study, which interviewed more than 1,000 adults.