Health: The Secrets of the Amish

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Ever wonder why the Amish look so fit? In an experiment, 100 adults in an Amish farming community in southern Ontario wore pedometers and logged their physical activity for a week. Not surprisingly, the Amish, who favor a 19th century lifestyle, were quite active. The men reported 10 hours of vigorous work a week and averaged 18,425 steps a day. All told, they engaged in six times as much physical activity as did their "modern" counterparts. The bottom line? Only 4% of the Amish men were obese, vs. 31% of non-Amish men. And this despite plenty of potatoes, gravy, pies and cakes.