Obese blamed for the world's ills.

[Devana 0]

Obese people are contributing to the world food crisis and climate change, experts say.

The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine calculated the obese consume 18% more calories than average.

They are also responsible for using more fuel, which has an environmental impact and drives up food prices as transport and agriculture both use oil.

The result is that the poor struggle to afford food and greenhouse gas emissions rise, the Lancet reported.

It comes as the World Health Organization predicts the obese population will double by 2015 to 700m.

In the UK, nearly a quarter of adults are classed obese, twice as many as there were in the 1980s.

The team found that obese people require 1,680 daily calories to sustain normal energy and another 1,280 to maintain daily activities - a fifth more than normal.

The higher consumption of food has a two-fold effect, researchers said.

First of all the increasing demand for food, drives up production.

This means that agricultural processes are using more oil to meet demand, which contributes to the rising cost of fuel.

The cost of fuel is then passed on in the cost of food, making it more difficult for poorer areas to afford it.

Prices

What is more, the researchers said obese people are likely to rely on transport more and put more strain on that transport because of their mass, which again drives up prices and usage.

But the researchers said there was a solution.

Phil Edwards, who co-authored the article, said: "Urban transport policies that promote walking and cycling would reduce food prices by reducing the global demand for oil and promotion of a normal weight.

And they added: "Decreased car use would reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"Transport and food policy and the importance of sustainable transport must not be overlooked."

But Dr David Haslam, of the National Obesity Forum, said it was "stretching it a bit" to blame the obese in the way that the study appeared to do. "Really, it is discriminatory towards obese people. They are an easy target at the moment, but I think the causes of climate change and rising food prices is much more complex."

[brandyII 9]

I've always heard that poorer people were more likely to be obese because of the fact that it's cheaper to eat unhealthy processed food as opposed to more expensive healthy foods. Poorer people are probably more likely to take public transportation too. As someone who was living on her own at age 19 I can totally relate to the situation. This is US perspective but I don't know if it played any part in the study.

[cb11213 5]

Lol, they actually make some good points in there... kind of a stupid article, nonetheless. Not very academic.

[Telecia 1]

What is more, the researchers said obese people are likely to rely on transport more and put more strain on that transport because of their mass, which again drives up prices and usage.

But the researchers said there was a solution.

Phil Edwards, who co-authored the article, said: "Urban transport policies that promote walking and cycling would reduce food prices by reducing the global demand for oil and promotion of a normal weight.

And they added: "Decreased car use would reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

I can speak about other contries but where I live in the USA this is a crock of bull. I know many people who would LOVE to use public transportation but the brutal fact of the matter is MOST of the US is unfriendly to public transportation.

The only part of this I can believe is the fact that higher weight loads MAY cause more fuel to be burned.

Unless you live in a major metropolitan city public transportation is a JOKE.

Cabs are even more costly then owning your own car its like 13$ for a trip halfway across town now one way. And the drivers are scary. The Bus system STOPS at 6pm every evening. And has lousy coverage. And a hour between pickups. And several people can't do the huge first step to get on the bus in the first place. No shelters or benches at 90% of the bustops. Heck busstops arent even clearly marked!!

Walking or bikes are NOT an option. Since only in the OLD residental areas of town and downtown are there sidewalks, and pedistrain stop lights. I live in a HUGE apartment complex and my BF could walk to work, its that close but he can't because the road is narrow & has NO SHOULDER & NO SIDEWALK. Cars already swerve around to much due to pot holes that winter caused. It's just to dangerous.

I had to forbid my kids to walk anywhere outside the complex cause it is simply to dangerous for them to walk/bike and go out the main road is even worse. Everywhere is strip malls. No side walks and it's a major 4 lane highway that runs through town. Any residental areas built in the last 10 years are just as bad No sidewalks, No busstops etc.

Sure Decreased car use would reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Of course it would but our country has been built on the convience of car ownership. Not on use of public transportation.

But Dr David Haslam, of the National Obesity Forum, said it was "stretching it a bit" to blame the obese in the way that the study appeared to do. "Really, it is discriminatory towards obese people. They are an easy target at the moment, but I think the causes of climate change and rising food prices is much more complex."

Yep its convient to place the blame on the overweight people and not the society problems that helps them get this way.

First of all the increasing demand for food, drives up production.

This means that agricultural processes are using more oil to meet demand, which contributes to the rising cost of fuel.

I wish I had saved the link (was on CNN)but there was an article I read recently talking about how the cost of food prices are rising and its got more to do with the demand of fuel alternatives and failing crops due to weather changes then people eating more. More and more farmers are starting to produce their crops for the newer BIO-Fuels rage. And producing less for food consumption. Which just adds to the higher fuel costs for transporting things.

The constant pushing of unhealthy foods at us by comercials, product placements (Candy at the checkouts etc.) Convience of take out/resturants and our harried lifestyles that make home cooking inconvient/time consuiming, tand he fact that alot of people have been forced by food costs already to make meals stretch farther with things like Pasta, rice etc. is h aving a detrimental affect on us.

But you don't see people in the news placing the blame on these things. They wanna point fingers but they don't know what to point them at so they pick the most convient thing that will get a reaction.

[Jachut 487]

I think those things are probably true to some extent BUT I think the way its said implies a moral judgement. If obesity were about nothign but willpower, it would be easily fixed wouldnt it?

Normal weight people affect the environment too - how many would be happy to pay top dollar for organic produce for example? If we wiped out commercial agriculture as it exists now and went back to sustainable methods, buying locally and in season, without packaging, without massive transportation round the globe etc, what would we then pay for a pound of apples? And who would be screaming about it?

If we all went vegetarian, we'd cut down greenhouse emissions remarkably. How many are prepared to do that?

I'm not fat anymore, I run for exercise, yet I drive everywhere because I have to. I dont have the time in my day for starters, to walk, and the public transport in my suburb is a farking joke - over an hour on the train into the city, that's if you dont count the half hour it would take me to wait for and catch a bus to the station - oh, that's after I've deposited 3 children at 2 differnet schools (one of which is 5kms away) in completely the opposite direction.

So its easy to blame it all on fat people isnt it?

[MacMadame 81]

Any article which tries to pin the problems of the world food supply and global warming on one single cause, and a pretty small one at that, is just lazy journalism and lazy science.

They are making the obese scapegoats just like SUVs are scapegoats.

[Devana 0]

It's heartening to see reactions to this article that are similar to mine.

It came off the BBC site, by the way, I forgot to put that in there.

[green 6]

Omigawd. Forget eat the rich! It's gonna be eat the fat!

[mango24 1]

Well it looks like we may have to start killing fat people.

However, what about skinny people who eat like hogs?

We are going to have to kill them too.

What about bulimics? They can appear skinny, but they are overeating. So we must kill them too.

What about people abusing laxatives? I heard Brittany is?

They are overeating, we are gonna have to kill them.

What about the fat people who barely eat? Do we kill them?

We have to hire police to detect how much individuals are consuming.

I suggest we set up a colony, like they did for lepers. That way we won't have to actually kill them. They can eat each other.

[plain 12]

This study is beyond illogical. They might as well say "capitalism is the source of global warming", except that Communist China is now the "dirtiest" country.

*sigh* If only somebody would invent a workable electric automobile, then us fatties could truck in all the food we wanted, and still have a negligable carbon footprint.

The posters that stated that public transportation is a joke were dead on. I live about 45 miles from where I work. Kind of hard to jog or bike that. It's impossible to even carpool, since I work nights.

On an unrelated note, I'm giving serious consideration to buying a motorcycle...

[Ang1982 4]

Perhaps before they start saying that we consume more fuel and don't use public transportation, etc. perhaps someone should reevaluate the public transportation system, relying on public transportation in my town is a joke.

[brandyII 9]

It's funny how some areas are great when it comes to public transportation and others aren't. I learned how to take buses from my grandmother when she was living with her son in Wash D.C. It was fun and I learned the art of "the transfer". We took buses everywhere.

Then when I was older and worked in the city they had built the subway system (Metro) by then and you could go anywhere.

Now I live in a different state and not in the city where there maybe some "Ride-On" buses in some areas but not anywhere where I live! I miss it and wish my kids could have that same city type life I was able to experience. But I guess the country ain't that bad either:thumbup:.

[Telecia 1]

It's funny how some areas are great when it comes to public transportation and others aren't. I learned how to take buses from my grandmother when she was living with her son in Wash D.C. It was fun and I learned the art of "the transfer". We took buses everywhere.

Then when I was older and worked in the city they had built the subway system (Metro) by then and you could go anywhere.

Now I live in a different state and not in the city where there maybe some "Ride-On" buses in some areas but not anywhere where I live! I miss it and wish my kids could have that same city type life I was able to experience. But I guess the country ain't that bad either:thumbup:.

Thing is alot places *Try* to have public transportation but they don't really succede. The city I live in is a great example. (5th largest city in my state) We do have a city bus system. And hey the city even made the extra expense of having Electric busses. (At least the old ones were dunno about the newer ones)

And by TRY I mean if you work 8-5 or 9-5 typical daytime *Office* hours.

And don't mind that the busses run on the hour and you might have to get to work 45-60 minutes early or late then hey you can actually use the bus sytem. 50 cents a ride 20$ for a month long unlimited use pass.

You mostly see senior citizens and teens using the busses.

Our city is having a major job problem right now. the 20+ car manufacturing factorys have closed or left in the last 5 years and jobs are scarce. 90% of the jobs in the city now are retail or service oriented and these are not 9-5 jobs. Bus system stops running at 6pm(weekends 9pm). Starts at 7am. So anyone with 3-11 or nighttime shifts are out of luck.

Bus isn't an option for me either as I can't do the first step up into it. Neither can most of my family members as they are mostly older or overweight.

There are also only a handfull of bustop shelters/benches etc. noone builds them anymore and the city don't want to maintain them. Buisnesses don't put out benches etc anymore either cause of vandals(Sp?) Who wants to wait 45-60 min before the next bus comes along in the rain/sun without a place to sit?

A cab. LOL OMG I will NEVER take a cab again If I can avoid it. Car in the shop it cost me and my BF 15$ one way to go to Walmart which is only a couple miles away. This was before the gas prices increase it's probably 25$ now. And the driver terrified me! Way over speed limits and weaving in and out like a madman. We called my SIL for a ride home.

My son now lives in Chicago and I feel for him. He recently started a spectacular job making 14.50$ a hour for a large firm doing their computer repair/support/maintence for them. Downside. As the firm is NOT in the city proper he has 2 an 1/2 hour commute to work each morning. And due to the bussing/subway scheduals he is either 1 hour early for work or 10 minutes late. He doesn't mind the long commute since he has a internet capable cellphone to stay *Occupied* with. And his company allows him the 10 minutes late option without docking/reprimand. But still.. 2 and 1/2 hours to make a 15 minute drive. His ride home is only an hour. Most companys aren't that forgiving. His complaints are its cutting into sleeping/free time. He is saving for a car now though.

I am a firm believer that one of the reasons we are having such weight problems in the US is the convience of cars. Not that theres anything wrong with it. But its damaging our environment, turning us into lazy people. An insured the car makers will forever have high demand.

Edited May 21, 2008 by Telecia
spelling error

[MacMadame 81]

Cars aren't going away though. And I don't see them as any more evil than washing machines and vacuums and other labor saving devices that we all use now instead of alternatives that would have burned more calories.

[Telecia 1]

Well I can't say they are evil. but I think we have placed to much importance and dependance on them. And we sure need to be seeking out better fuel options for the sake of our environment.