The obesity message: marketing physical activity to large older adults by Jenifer Milner

Along with genetic and environmental factors, personal behavior influences obesity. Two health-promoting behaviors widely known to help people manage their weight include eating a nutritious diet and being physically active. Yet “[t]here is no evidence that older Americans are, as a group, making much progress in improving their diets or controlling their weight,” notes a 2002 AARP research report. “Less than one-third [of individuals ages 50 and older] are eating the recommended portions of fruits and vegetables, less than half are exercising or trying to increase their level of physical activity, and less than 20 percent are trying to lose weight by combining diet with increased physical activity.”