The New Terrorists in America… the Obese
Enough is enough already. It’s time to wake up. Don’t worry about the next terrorist attack. It’s been well underway for years. Obesity is slowly killing the quality of life in America and no one’s noticed yet.
Check the facts: In the United States these days, 66% of adults are overweight and about half of these are obese. That’s one third of all adults! Approximately 5% of our population is 100 lbs overweight (or more); that’s what they call morbidly obese.
We are all impacted by the health care system. Rising costs are being driven, in large part, by irresponsible, obese terrorists. According to researchers, chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease, both of which are associated with obesity, account for well over $100 billion in health-care spending every year.
Current estimates suggest that if the rise in obesity could be reduced (and along with it chronic disease) spending could be cut by the same amount, which is more than 17% of the US’s total health care budget.
It appears that for all the education and affluence in his country, the obese are either too apathetic to learn or too poor to pay attention. It doesn’t matter if it’s a doctor, fitness professional or your sister Sue telling them to pare down, improve their daily diet and exercise more; these terrorists aren’t listening.
In my seventh grade civics class, my teacher Mr. Mohn used to hammer home the point that your rights only extend as far as someone else’s nose.
Our noses are being rubbed in the abuses of irresponsible, obese terrorists and because the process is gradual and inflicted in a stealthy and treacherous manner, the rampage continues mostly unnoticed.
Consider this:
If you are 20 lbs overweight or more you use nearly 18 additional gallons of gas a year. Not much? Do the math. That’s a waste of about a billion gallons.
Researchers estimate a combined savings, between cars and the airlines, of 5 billion dollars in total fuel costs; if all passengers were normal weights.
If plus sized clothing were eliminated, the impact of fewer sizes would be huge. Since plus sizes cost 10-15% more, shoppers could save nearly $10 billion on dresses, shirts and pants.
It’s estimated that the overweight adult population has consumed an excess of calories equivalent to 14 billion Big Mac meals (with fries and a soda). That’s $81 billion.
Researchers have tracked other savings as well and have estimated a total savings, from all areas, of 487 billion dollars; almost 3.5% of our gross domestic product or the equivalent of giving every household in America a check for $4,270.
Bottom Line? When you are an irresponsible citizen you could be fined or jailed. If you are an irresponsible driver you might be fined or jailed. If you are irresponsible about your health and fitness…?
Love to hear your comments on this.
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