A new research suggests that the growing trend in sedentary jobs is one of the major factors in the increase of obesity cases in the United States. Sitting in front of the computer for eight hours a day rather than working on the field means that American workers are burning 140 fewer calories per day than they did decades ago.

According to a research study posted online on PLos One, we should put greater emphasis on promoting physical activities if we want to win the war against weight. Dr. Robert Graham said that the key in weight loss is monitoring the calories that come in and those that come out; and right now, Americans are taking in more calories than it is burning.

Although both exercise patterns and eating habits affect we either gain or lose weight, a contradicting study suggests that our caloric intake is still the major reason why one third of our population is either overweight or obese. This is because the study has noted that our leisure-time physical activities have not really changed over the past years.

Many, however, do not agree because based on a statistics report by the US Bureau of Labor, more and more active jobs (like farming and mining) have been replaced with sedentary jobs like office works and stay-at-home jobs.

The authors of the study stated that only a quarter of Americans are performing the prescribed level of exercise. Keri Gans of the American Dietetic Association said that the growing demands of our everyday life are eating our time for exercise. However, she said that it is necessary that we make time for it to fight obesity.