The Obesity Epedemic

The truth is, the overweight wouldn’t be victims of this war – they’d be beneficiaries. Most overweight people are like smokers who have tried over and over again to quit, as the $50 billion-ayear diet industry proves. In fact, between 15 and 30 percent of the respondents to a Yale study said they would rather give up the possibility of having children, be depressed or alcoholic than obese. Other studies have shown that fat people have a harder time getting a job and make less money. And they pay more into the healthcare system. Humana actuaries have calculated that an obese 25-year-old who is still obese at 65 will cost the healthcare system $180,000 extra in today’s dollars.