America has an obesity epidemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more than one-third of adult Americans are obese, which is close to 80 million people.

Physicians that work in sports medicine New Haven who specialize in performance enhancement are dealing with a surprising group of individuals that are obese. These individuals make a career in sports and focus much of their efforts on staying in shape.

A Study of Obesity in American Football Players

As reported in Science Daily, a professor at Grand Valley State University, Jeffrey Potteiger, conducted a study that looked at the changing weights of college and professional football players over the past seventy years.

The conclusion from the study was that American football players gained an average of one-quarter to one pound and one-quarter, every year since 1942. Present day football players, especially linemen, weigh sixty pounds more than football players from seventy years ago weighed.

The Reasons Why American Football Players are Now Obese Professional football players do not normally do the things that most would think make a person become obese. They do not, as a rule, each a lot of junk food. They are very physically active.

One of the main psychological drivers for the weight gain is the feeling by football players and coaches that more weight makes a better player. Besides working out and eating more, some players use growth-promoting substances in order to “bulk up.”

The problem is that heavier players are not necessarily better players. Certainly, they are less healthy. Excessive weight increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure problems.

Managing Weight in a Healthier Way

It is important for athletes, as well as for the average person, to manage weight properly. It is a good idea to set up a weight management program by working with a physician that specializes in sports medicine in New Haven.

A good weight management program includes having the goal of adding no more than one pound of lean body mass per week. It includes maintaining good nutrition with the proper balance of protein and carbohydrates that avoid caloric excesses. Resistance training is also good when combined with plenty of time for recovery between sessions.

Summary

Both average adults and athletes benefit from having a proper nutrition and weight management program, supervised by a sports medicine doctor.