Pardon the pun, but here’s some food for thought - America is the fattest nation on earth.

"It’s true," says Dr. Suzette Jelinek, Extension network and marketing specialist. "Everything is bigger in America – including our size."

Our prosperity as a nation is all too evident in our bulging waistlines. More than 50 percent of Americans are overweight and almost 27 percent are obese, Jelinek says. If you are overweight, you’re up to 30 pounds heavier than you should be for your age, height and gender. Obese means you’re 30 pounds or more over your appropriate weight.

Thanks to a more sedentary lifestyle, Americans have been packing on pounds in recent years. Unfortunately, not only are we not moving as much, we’re also eating more. Fattening foods like sugary colas, potato chips, candy bars and fast foods are consumed in large amounts on a daily basis, often by children who spend hours watching television and playing video games.

As a result, Americans are overweight and out of shape.

"We used to be an agricultural society in which we did hard work and hard labor to eat the foods that we do," Jelinek says. "Things have changed a lot. Now, people drive to work, then work at a desk all day and don’t move as much as we once did. But we’re still eating a lot, so we’re talking about calories and fats we don’t need anymore."

Extension nutritionist Dr. Robert Keith says you can add more activity to your day, and burn more calories, just by making a conscious effort to move.

"Start making up your bed when you get up in the morning to get your blood flowing," he says. "Take a shower instead of a bath, it uses more energy. Work at eating a healthy breakfast to get your metabolism boosted. Park a little farther and walk to the store. Take time to walk down every aisle at the grocery store, don’t just go by your list. Try to get in as much walking as you can each day. Set a pattern for yourself: Everyday, walk at least two miles. Two miles is 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise, and it’s on your way to a healthier heart."

Exercise is easy and fun, Keith says, and can be incorporated into your everyday life. If you have time to watch TV, you have time to work out. Simply do a few push-ups, correctly-postured sit-ups and leg lifts while you’re watching your favorite television show, he says. Add a few weight-bearing exercises by lifting hand weights or even soup cans.

Losing weight doesn’t just help you look and feel better, he says. It may also help you live longer.

"First of all, the heavier you are, the higher the incidence of chronic disease. We’re seeing more and more incidence of Type II diabetes, which has long-term health problems associated with it," he says. "You can lose your limbs, your eyesight and increase your major health risks. The incidence of cardiovascular disease increases with being overweight and having a diet high in saturated fat. But exercise and a low-fat diet can lower your risk of these diseases."

You have to move to lose, says Keith. Incorporate more physical activity into your daily life to burn those extra calories. Also, cut back on sugars and trim fat from your diet. A few positive changes in your lifestyle will take you a long way toward better health.