Science and Engineering: Innovation, Research, Education and Economics
September 10, 2008
Active Amish Avoid Obesity

Lessons from the Amish: We’re not doomed to obesity

Four years ago we discovered that the Amish maintained super-low obesity levels despite eating a diet high in fat, calories and refined sugar. They key was their level of physical activity — men averaged 18,000 steps a day, women 14,000. That’s monumental compared to the paltry couple of thousand or so most of us eke out in a day.

A recent study revealed even more about the Old Order Amish: They maintain low obesity levels despite having a gene variation that makes them susceptible to obesity. The secret here? You guessed it — lots of physical activity.

Study Conclusions: “Our results strongly suggest that the increased risk of obesity owing to genetic susceptibility by FTO variants can be blunted through physical activity. These findings emphasize the important role of physical activity in public health efforts to combat obesity, particularly in genetically susceptible individuals.”

Sometimes the simple explanation is worth paying attention to. Add lack of activity to eating more (Obesity Epidemic Explained - Kind Of: 1970 Americans ate an average of 2170 calories per day in 2000 they ate an average of 2700) and it seems like it is logical we would gain weight due to these two factors.

Related: $500 Million to Reduce Childhood Obesity in USA - Regular Exercise Reduces Fatigue - Articles on Improving the Health Care System

One Response to “Active Amish Avoid Obesity”

  1. Siddhaswarupananda Says:

    With $500 million being spent on reducing the obesity rates in children, it makes it quite ironic that in some parts of the world there are people on the complete opposite of the spectrum- starving people.

    I’ve found the Amish to be quite remarkable in several ways. Indeed this is just another sense in their simplistic living. It still all boils down to - simple living and hopefully high thinking that lessens very unnecessary problems like obesity.

Leave a Reply

Curious Cat Science and Engineering Blog © curiouscat.com 2005-2008 powered by WordPress
Curious Cat Alumni Connections

Internal Links

Author

 

John Hunter

Categories

Other

Search Blog

Web Search

Science and Engineering web search

Archives

September 2008
M T W T F S S
« Aug   Oct »
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930