Losing Weight Really is Harder Than it Was in the ’80s

Hi this is Leslie Harris, and I was surprised to read this study.

We need to eat less and exercise more than we did in the 80s in order to maintain the same weight. In other words, a 25-year-old in the year 2022, has to eat less and exercise more then a 25-year-old did in 1988 to have the same body mass index.

People today are about 10% heavier than people were in the ’80s, even if they followed the exact same diet and exercise plan. So why is this?

Well, there are some theories, such as chemicals. Yes, chemicals may be responsible for our bodies holding on to excess weight.

Also prescription drugs, specifically antidepressants, have been on the rise since the late ’80s, and many of them have been linked to weight gain.

Still another theory is that our gut bacteria has changed. We are consuming more meat, which also means more hormones and antibiotics, than we did in the ’80s, which may be causing an upset in our digestive systems.

While I do not recommend going off your antidepressants, we certainly can make some other changes. Reducing the chemicals in our homes is easy. Use natural cleaning products, stop using pesticides and flame retardants, look for less packaging, or environmentally friendly packaging.

Also reduce your consumption of meat, or try to buy organic when possible. A good probiotic may also help.