(27-06-06) High-Tech Toys Could Be Contributing To Obesity

Raquel Eatmon
Reporting

From lifestyle, to medical reasons, to plain old laziness; CBS 11 News looks into why Americans are fat.
Experts say many people are gaining more and moving less because of high-tech conveniences.
The United States is the fattest nation in the world and we keep on growing. In Texas, 63% of adults are overweight or obese.
Overeating isn't the only reason so many bellies are bulging, we're simply not moving enough.
?People are riding the bus and taking a car just to go a block or two, instead of walking, and as a result they're expending less calories,? said internist, Steven Pounders, M.D.
Doctor Pounders says many people don't exercise, and modern day technology could have a lot to do with it.
Americans watch an average of 29 to 34 hours of television a week. Flipping the channels is doing very little for your heart, or waistline.
Experts say computers are another item making Americans lazy. The home and portable technology has nearly eliminated our trips to the library.
Some prepare meals in microwaves, which is only the punch of a button. Your grandmother didn't do it that way, and they were thinner back then.
There?s a big difference in the amount of energy it took to prepare a meal in 1949 versus today. The calories burned don?t compare. Quick and easy fixes have spoiled the country.
How many times have you scoured a parking lot, looking for a close space? Doctors advise that you forget about looking for the nearest parking spot. They say you should park away from the store and exercise your way to loosing those unwanted pounds.
Taking 10,000 steps a day, says Pounders will help you get control over the situation.
Another good place to start? avoid elevators and take the stairs.
Ten thousand steps a day is the average steps just to maintain weight. If you need to lose weight up that number to about 15,000 steps a day.
Use a pedometer to track your steps, it's a measurement that could help reduce inches around your waist and prolong life.

Fonte: (CBS 11 News)

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