Americans might find it hard to get to the gym, but they find it even harder to give up unhealthy food.
A survey by Brodeur Partners shows that while 57 percent of Americans report getting frequent exercise, only 46 percent say they frequently eat healthy food . And while 24 percent report exercising every day, only 9 percent say they eat healthy food every day.
Scientific consensus increasingly points to diet as playing a more critical role in weight maintenance than physical activity, a fact that Americans appear to have responded to in at least some ways.
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Soda consumption has decreased significantly over the past 20 years, for instance, a trend that Coca Cola has controversially attempted to counter through research that argues that exercise is more important than diet in combating obesity.
The good news is that young people are eating healthier than previous generations. The survey found that 51 percent of millennials eat healthy food all or most of the time, compared to 40 percent of Gen Xers and 44 percent of baby boomers.
Young people also exercise more, with 61 percent of millennials working out frequently, compared to 56 percent of Gen Xers and 51 percent of boomers.
One reason young people might be living healthier lives than older generations is because they care more about their appearance. While 28 percent of millennials cited appearance as the chief motivator for maintaining a healthy diet and working out, only 17 percent of Gen Xers and 5 percent of baby boomers said the same thing.
Another key finding: Few people are exercising just because it's fun. Only 6 percent cited fun as the chief reason for being active, compared to 49 percent who cited general health or well-being, 21 percent who cited appearance and 13 percent who said longevity.
That so few people cited longevity might explain why fruits and vegetables aren't getting the attention they deserve, suggested Jerry Johnson, who conducted the research for Brodeur.
"We're clearly better exercisers than eaters, which raises the question of whether our society is marketing healthy eating effectively," said Jerry Johnson. "We're constantly told to eat our fruits and vegetables as a way to live longer and avoid disease. But longevity isn't what motivates people who eat well to eat well. Rather, it is a desire to physically feel and look better today."
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