Americans starting to reverse "Battle of the Bulge"

An encouraging Gallup poll came out recently. For the first time since 2008, Americans are slowly starting to win the "Battle of the Bulge."
The random sample of over 90,000 adults, interviewed by telephone, showed that 36.6% of respondents claimed to be of "normal" weight (according to BMI indexes), while 35.8% were overweight. This was the first time "normal" beat out "overweight" in three years. There is some other categories and science involved, and when that is factored in, 61.6 of Americans were found to be "overweight" or "obese."
There is also inherent problems with self-reporting an issue like weight, with many people naturally under-estimating their true reading. Still, poll-takers took it as a positive sign, and attributed to more public consciousness about obesity: fast food chains posting calorie counts; First Lady Michelle Obama's campaign against childhood obesity; and even the jokes about Gov. Chris Christie's weight as he was considering a presidential run.
The survey data showed that African-Americans, middle aged people, and the poor were the groups most likely to be overweight. While it may strike some as surprising that the poor would most likely to be overweight, the reality is that natural food is expensive and sometimes hard-to-find; processed, sugary food is cheap and readily available in low-income areas.
Those with incomes between $36,000 and $90,000 had the biggest drop in obesity (a full percentage pojnt from 2008), and Asians (perhaps becoming acclimated to the
American diet) showed the biggest gain, 3.3 points.
One thing that I've read many times that the "average American" puts on five pounds during the Holiday season, which they never fully get rid of the rest of the year. Holiday meals, great desserts, and drinks; combined with shorter daylight hours and lack of a routinized schedule leads to more calories in, less out. Weigh yourself every day to make sure you're staying on track, and make sure you get as much exercise, if not more, than you normally do! Happy Holidays!