MedicineNet survey shows that health professionals are crucial for motivating dieters to lose weight. A second strong motivator is the inability to do enjoyable activities. Family and friends can stop nagging the overweight and focus on improving their health and activity.

San Clemente, CA (PRWEB) January 5, 2005 -- Nearly two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight, and 30.5 percent are obese. There are indications that the population is growing increasingly fatter and becoming fatter at a younger age, a harbinger of health problems that will burden the health system in the future. A new survey of 957 Web-savvy individuals shows that health professionals’ recommendations are important for motivating the overweight to lose weight.

Commenting on the survey, Dr. Shiel, Chief Medical Editor of MedicineNet.com noted that “given the rising epidemic of obesity, health care professionals need to continue recommending that patients lose weight and emphasizing the health benefits from maintaining a healthy weight. Although they mean well, family and friends are not the optimal motivators for weight loss.”

The survey also showed that 33% of respondents reported already suffering from elevated cholesterol and 27% from high blood pressure pointing out the incidence of these weight-related health problems. The survey also showed dieters have high expectations for improving their health status and appearance through weight loss. “Health professionals need to help set reasonable expectations for their patients while urging them to lose excess weight” adds Dr. Shiel of MedicineNet.com.

MedicineNet, Inc. is an online healthcare publishing company, creating proprietary consumer information that is produced by a network of 75+ U.S. board-certified physicians. Since 1996, it has been the trusted source for easy-to-read, in-depth, authoritative medical information via its robust, user-friendly, interactive Web site at www.medicinenet.com. The Doctors of MedicineNet are also proud to author the Webster's New World(TM) Medical Dictionary now in its second edition, published by Wiley Publishing, Inc.

To obtain a complete copy of the survey findings: Health Concerns and Weight Management/Survey Results, please go to:
http://www.medicinenet.com/weight_management_survey/article.htm

Additional Health Research Survey Reports are available on MedicineNet at: http://www.medicinenet.com/healthreport/article.htm

For more information on Weight Management:
http://www.medicinenet.com/weight_management/focus.htm

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