More People Are Insecure About Their Bodies In The Summer

A new survey says 7 in 10 of us are self-conscious about body parts -- especially our abs and stomach -- during the summer.

By: By MARY SHEDDEN Media General News Service | Lynchburg News and Advance
Published: June 19, 2009

Insecurities about being seen in skimpy summer attire could be putting the kibosh on how people socialize.

A national survey released today found that nearly half of the 1,000 adults surveyed have considered skipping a social event that involved putting on a swimsuit or being exposed to excessive food and drink opportunities. Seventy percent admitted being self-conscious about body parts in the summer months.

"Weight is something always on people's minds … but they are more insecure about body type in the summer," said Mary Dinehart, a dietitian and clinical research director for The Zone Diet, which produced of the seasonal survey.

The National Institutes of Health estimates that two-thirds of American adults, more than 133 million, are considered overweight or obese. Obesity is defined as having an abnormal level of body fat.

In the survey, men and women alike reported that they worried most (60 percent) about how their stomach or abs appeared. Legs, arms and derriere were far lesser worries.

Dinehart said regardless of how you feel, it's tough to maintain a healthy weight when you're invited to pool parties and barbecues every weekend.

"You almost have to navigate through these events to get through the summer without gaining weight," she said.

She suggests the best way to control how you look – and feel – is to incorporate regular exercise into your routine.

However, the National Center for Health Statistics reports that just one in four American adults participate in regular vigorous leisure-time physical activity. Nearly 60 percent of Americans report no vigorous physical activity in their leisure time.

"People are less likely to beat themselves up if they know they've been working hard," she said.

But exercise can be seen as an excuse to indulge in food and drink, the survey showed. Half of the women said working out was a way to counteract eating unhealthy foods. More than 30 percent of the men and women saw exercise as a reason to eat more. Dinehart warns that's the wrong approach.

"It takes a lot of exercise to curb down the calories," she said.