Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Surprising statistic

I came across the following surprising statistic on rec.music.classical.recordings this morning, in a thread wondering why so many opera singers are so large.

"2 million Americans weigh at least 560lbs."

I can't place a source for the claim, but does it ring true, or is it a false note?

Unfortunately, I think it does ring true. I saw an article on a news site saying that now, Obese people outnumber the merely overweight people in the U.S. In looking around and 'people-watching', I am even more inclined to agree. Then, factor in the product marketing that exists in this country, most of which is geared toward an inactive, consumption based lifestyle, and it becomes even more believable.

I came across the following surprising statistic on rec.music.classical.recordings this morning, in a thread wondering why so many opera singers are so large.

"2 million Americans weigh at least 560lbs."

I can't place a source for the claim, but does it ring true, or is it a false note?

Related to both this thread and the one in rec.music.classical.recordings:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/27/arts/music/27voig.html

I came across the following surprising statistic on rec.music.classical.recordings this morning, in a thread wondering why so many opera singers are so large.

"2 million Americans weigh at least 560lbs."

I can't place a source for the claim, but does it ring true, or is it a false note?
Only 0.6%. Its believable.

It seems a little too many, but I wouldn't be completely shocked.

At my peak I weighed about 430, and I have met very few that are as heavy as I was then. And for the US population of about 300 million, that means that about 2 of every 1000 is at least 120 pounds heavier than I was at my peak...

Admittedly, the sizes in the big & tall shop go larger than I wore at my largest (5X shirts) and some are taller, such as 5XLT or 6XLT, so I know that larger people are out there. And now that I think of it, I would expect that some people in that size range might not get out much...

So, if 1 in 150 is 560+ pounds, and a high percentage of them are usually in their homes and not out and about, and perhaps geographically concentrated in certain areas as well... Yes, I guess it is possible... whether it is true or not, I don't know.

Take that info with a grain of salt. When I was in my best physical shape ever ( early 20's, 199#, 13% body fat), I was told that per my BMI, I was overweight. BTW, I'm 6'1", so I was in fact, rather thin.


Oh, to be 199 pounds again :p

In January 2004 a nationwide research study of 15,015 Americans revealed alarming statistics on America’s growing obesity epidemic, the findings of which are available in the IHRSA/ASD Obesity/Weight Control Report.

The report also includes Body Mass Index (BMI) levels plus actual raw bodyweight averages for the American population. America is dangerously overweight with 3.8 million people over 300 pounds and 400,000 (mostly men) weighing over 400 pounds! In America, statistics show that the average weight of an adult female is now an unprecedented 163 pounds!

http://www.americansportsdata.com/weightstats.asp

That study disagrees with the figures in the original post of this thread.