america overweight Economy

This Washington Post article examines how the American economy depends on the industries that have made two-thirds of the population overweight.

Dependent on Junk Food and Fat Cures

Changes in technology and labor practices have led to a vast array of industries feeding cheap, high-calorie food to a population that gets little exercise.

Another set of related industries has emerged to deal with the inevitable effects. Revenue from these "obesity industries" will be more than $315 billion in 2006, including $133 billion for fast-food, $124 billion for obesity-related medical treatments, and almost $2 billion for diet books.

The result is an economy that partly depends on "selling junk food and ... selling fat cures," according to one researcher. These industries have a vested financial interest in keeping the population overweight.

Long-Term Costs

However, an obese population also comes with long-term economic costs. Each overweight person requires $10,000 of extra medical care over a lifetime, which could eventually bankrupt the health insurance industry. The financial burden of obesity will likely fall on American corporations and taxpayers.

Washington Post January 22, 2006