"Ideal Weight" For Americans Increasing, Study Shows

Image by Alan Cleaver on Flickr

The "ideal weight" Americans feel they should strive for has increased in the last two decades, a recent Gallup poll has shown -- with the average "ideal" cited as 165 pounds.

According to the poll, U.S. men claimed their ideal weight to 185 pounds, their actual weight being on average 196 pounds. This ideal weight goal is 14 pounds heavier than the "ideal" 20 years ago.

Women are now shooting for at least 140 pounds as their ideal -- 11 pounds heavier than their goal 20 years ago, and 16 pounds less than the national average now.

Why the increase in "ideal" weight? Is it a matter of increased body-acceptance? Is it a matter of a nation that has seen increasingly larger waistlines to begin with, thus creating a "new norm"? Have blowback and protests against impossibly skinny runway models and clothing chains that don't have a larger range of sizes played a part?

Whatever the case, this talk of "ideals" has more to do with cosmetic appearance and not a lot to do with actual healthy weight. To calculate your ideal weight for good health, you should figure out your body mass index (BMI) which takes into account both your weight and height.

Via HuffPo