Here is a fascinating statistic courtesy of The Atlantic.
Thanks to the startling rise in obesity, every year Americans consume at least a billion gallons more gas today than they would have if people were as trim as they were in 1960.
For every additional pound of passenger weight, the United States uses up another 39 million gallons of fuel each year.
Those results come from a 2006 study when over a quarter of the populations in 21 states were obese. Now more than 35 states boast that statistic.
Heavier people means heavier cars.
And The Atlantic notes that research suggests that the more car-dependent a society becomes, the greater the likelihood of its members becoming obese.
How much can you say? Search our blog and you will see the numerous posts on obesity and physical health that we cite. Remember that how you take care of yourself today will very much affect how you age. And now, this has become a societal problem that is weighing everyone down.
