Studies show that in 2004, more than 60 percent of adults and 20 percent of children are overweight or obese. As more consumers are gaining weight, more retail industries are quietly accommodating this, making weight gain more acceptable in America, and no one even notices.

When shopping for clothes, you may notice that your clothing size keeps dropping even though you know you’ve put on a few pounds--this is size inflation. Size inflation is the term being used this year to explain the change in clothing sizes. Basically, the clothes keep getting bigger, but the numbers stay the same. For example, today’s size four is actually a size eight. Retailers know that people are gaining weight; they also know consumers want to wear as small a size as possible, so they’re meeting that desire.

Similarly in the restaurant industry, after a complaint from an oversized customer the president of the Olive Garden ordered bigger chairs to accommodate oversized customers so they wouldn’t dine elsewhere.

Each consecutive survey that comes out shows that the number of overweight Americans is increasing. This is due, many say, to the widespread availability of fast food chains that are making portions bigger and prices smaller, as studies indicate that most consumers will eat more if they are given larger portions. For example, a typical McDonald’s meal used to contain 540 calories and now it contains 1,550 calories. That is more than double the calories.

Further, a national study published in the journal Pediatrics shows that not only are adult statistics of weight gain increasing but children and adolescents are in danger too. Researchers surveyed 6,212 children and adolescents and found on a typical day 30.3 percent reported eating fast food. The survey also showed that the fast food eaters consumed far more calories and fat than children who did not eat fast food that day.

Many are blaming childhood obesity at least partly on the school systems throughout the country that have invited fast food and soft drink vending machines into their schools, and feel a solution may lie in putting pressure on the big food companies, schools and fast food chains to clean up their acts.

New York Times January 20, 2004

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

The United States is paying nearly $100 billion every year for the obesity epidemic and a new casualty of this epidemic is the clothing industry. The fashion industry has come up with new clothes designs and cuts that are in reality simply bigger sizes, without the bigger numbers. Don't be fooled--follow these basic health principles and you’ll naturally regain your normal weight. The first principle is to eat a diet of whole, nutritious foods rather than the processed ones that line most grocery store shelves or fast food. This includes cutting out grains and sugar, as these are two of the major culprits behind weight gain. You can view my nutrition plan to help get your diet on the right track. Exercise is another extremely important factor. If you are overweight, you will need at least 30 minutes of exercise a day to experience any weight loss benefits and some will need closer to an hour. Try walking if you are just starting out, and then gradually increase the intensity to include activities such as jogging and using an elliptical machine. Another option for weight loss is the completely nutritious meal replacement Living Fuel Rx Super Greens or Living Fuel Rx Super Berry. Of course, it’s best if you plan ahead and prepare nutritious meals from whole foods, but many people don’t take the time and are then tempted by unhealthy fast food when it comes time for lunch. As an alternative to fast food or other less nutritious meal replacements, consider Living Fuel Rx. It comes in a convenient powder form and is packed with vitamins, minerals, proteins, essential fats, enzymes, co-enzymes, herbs, botanical extracts, and soluble and insoluble plant fibers. I review specific details and give many practical suggestions on how you can successfully lose weight and achieve optimal health in my new book, Dr. Mercola’s Total Health & Program. This book has taken me 20 years to create because it provides my entire clinically proven dietary and health program, which has dramatically helped thousands of patients at my clinic. Related Articles: The Scientific Definition of Obesity and its Dangers Obesity and Diabetes: A Growing Problem Among Americans CDC: Obesity Fastest Growing Health Threat in U.S. Food Portions Increase Along With Obesity America’s Belt Buckle Expands Another Notch Obesity Causes Nearly 100,000 Cancer Deaths per Year Nearly 2 Billion are Overweight or Obese