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Obesity Makes Us Waste More Than a Billion Gallons of Gas Every Year

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 on obesity and driving habits, when over a quarter of the populations in 21 states were obese. Since that time, the number states for which that figure holds true has ballooned to more than 35. In 12 states, more than a third of the population is considered obese. So it's likely the United States has come to waste even more than a billion gallons a year in the six years since that study was published.

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Submitted May 01, 2012 By: Eugenian

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carranco Champion Author Georgia Posts:1,027 Points:271,465 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 8:00:44 PM Ignore carranco Report Abuse Get the junk out of the trunk.
wamster Champion Author Houston Posts:4,419 Points:720,340 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 6:55:56 PM Ignore wamster Report Abuse Any extra weight, whether it's on a person or items carried in the trunk or bed of a pickup add to loss of fuel mileage.
DanMtz Champion Author Oakland Posts:3,496 Points:1,271,125 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 5:28:05 PM Ignore DanMtz Report Abuse How much did that study cost and who was dumb enough to fund it?
BuckyTJones Champion Author Salt Lake City Posts:4,932 Points:967,950 Joined:Mar 2010	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 4:24:34 PM Ignore BuckyTJones Report Abuse Now lets figure how much STUPIDITY waste per year!!!!!!
jeffbone Champion Author Virginia Posts:1,408 Points:415,600 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 12:43:46 PM Ignore jeffbone Report Abuse Talk about conjecture...
schatzila Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:5,089 Points:1,044,320 Joined:Jun 2010	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 9:59:13 AM Ignore schatzila Report Abuse Makes sense. That's why spare tires are becoming a thing of the past.
doctorindyj Champion Author Santa Fe Posts:3,543 Points:865,285 Joined:Nov 2009	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 8:06:29 AM Ignore doctorindyj Report Abuse Someone else posted this last week. As narcissistic now as it was then.
fishnhuntWV Sophomore Author West Virginia Posts:231 Points:65,870 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 7:21:54 AM Ignore fishnhuntWV Report Abuse Interesting Ive thought about this before, another reason for people to lose weight
clpassenubye Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:3,374 Points:776,930 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 6:16:14 AM Ignore clpassenubye Report Abuse Wow
Barfood Champion Author St. Louis Posts:3,368 Points:1,036,675 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 5:59:26 AM Ignore Barfood Report Abuse This doesn't surprise me...higher medical bills, grocery bills, gas bills.
LilRedWagonIN Champion Author Indiana Posts:7,912 Points:1,581,110 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 4:56:20 AM Ignore LilRedWagonIN Report Abuse So, report that drivers could take out the car's spare tire, the car jack, take out the back seat, only keep the gas tank half full,... all to decrease weight and save gasoline. The writer of the article already removed his brain to save weight.
TruthMatters Champion Author New Jersey Posts:2,586 Points:559,305 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 4:52:38 AM Ignore TruthMatters Report Abuse How about taller people like NBA players?
Cothrom Champion Author South Carolina Posts:1,857 Points:752,480 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 4:37:12 AM Ignore Cothrom Report Abuse Fat, is where it's at!
bicycle1966 All-Star Author Akron Posts:606 Points:414,360 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 4:15:01 AM Ignore bicycle1966 Report Abuse guess I shouldn'a had that doughnut for breakfast.
07skydriver Champion Author Ohio Posts:3,380 Points:1,011,175 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 4:12:15 AM Ignore 07skydriver Report Abuse It sounds like this article hits a nerve with some people. Just stay home.
gs7101 Champion Author San Antonio Posts:5,663 Points:396,245 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 3:53:42 AM Ignore gs7101 Report Abuse What a bunch of snobs!
ReddevilNO Champion Author New Orleans Posts:3,481 Points:600,090 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 3:45:06 AM Ignore ReddevilNO Report Abuse Yes! Yes! Yes!
FPLREP Champion Author Virginia Posts:8,406 Points:2,476,785 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 3:42:31 AM Ignore FPLREP Report Abuse Food stamps working too well.
LanguageMan1 Champion Author Tampa Posts:11,869 Points:1,690,425 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 3:22:22 AM Ignore LanguageMan1 Report Abuse This is so true and something I've been trying to tell people for the last five years plus. Anyone playing the Yahoo Fantasty Finance? If so, let me know and let's make some money.
eric2theem Sophomore Author Riverside Posts:105 Points:30,155 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 3:11:45 AM Ignore eric2theem Report Abuse not so much in California everone is always losing weight my motto is if you wear your tires uneven on your vehicle on the side you sit, you need to lose some weight!
gandalfthegrey1 Champion Author Houston Posts:1,184 Points:384,785 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 2:46:13 AM Ignore gandalfthegrey1 Report Abuse Somebody was PAID to come up with this drivel???
wrunner Champion Author Virginia Posts:4,592 Points:1,165,260 Joined:Dec 2009	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 2:38:21 AM Ignore wrunner Report Abuse Vehicles are loaded with more stuff now a days than they used to.
BBopp Champion Author Dayton Posts:6,949 Points:1,957,155 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 2:28:35 AM Ignore BBopp Report Abuse The issue of weight also applies to the amount loaded into any given vehicle. I suppose one has to calculate pound for pound how many people are in the vehicle, this should include any other items in the vehicle.
Yooperheart Champion Author Michigan Posts:3,565 Points:554,725 Joined:Feb 2010	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 2:03:20 AM Ignore Yooperheart Report Abuse No surprise there, when was the last time you have seen a linebacker in a Prius?
bullet226 Champion Author Toronto Posts:2,716 Points:534,915 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 1:32:21 AM Ignore bullet226 Report Abuse I believe it!
RNCII Champion Author Michigan Posts:2,617 Points:671,010 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: May 2, 2012 12:09:42 AM Ignore RNCII Report Abuse leemun> wrote and I agree. " Society frowns on hateful attacks on people in these days of political correctness UNLESS they are aimed at Christians, Heterosexuals or the Obese. This article is hate speech, pure and simple. It's like Nazis saying how much fuel we could save if we denied drivers' licenses to Jews. " Wow that must mean soccer moms driving with all those kids, gear and groceries must be wasting about as much fuel. Kinda ridicules. [Edited by: RNCII at 5/2/2012 3:15:47 AM EST]
Hoporrene Veteran Author Mississippi Posts:312 Points:206,970 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 10:58:59 PM Ignore Hoporrene Report Abuse I can see this...I say we all start walking, jogging, running, and even ride bikes to get around.
MetroSexual Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:3,004 Points:316,380 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 10:44:33 PM Ignore MetroSexual Report Abuse True -- mostly because these huge people feel they need huge vehicles to haul around all that tonnage. Problem is that many SUVs have a weight limit of 600 pounds.
abacus44 Champion Author Toms River Posts:3,605 Points:774,765 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 10:39:05 PM Ignore abacus44 Report Abuse OK
BJWI Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:6,554 Points:763,925 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 10:37:35 PM Ignore BJWI Report Abuse Don't tell people to lose weight, instead have the auto makers make a spare tire optional in order to improve mileage; how messed up is this.
leemun Champion Author Utah Posts:5,683 Points:1,067,765 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 10:37:19 PM Ignore leemun Report Abuse Society frowns on hateful attacks on people in these days of political correctness UNLESS they are aimed at Christians, Heterosexuals or the Obese. This article is hate speech, pure and simple. It's like Nazis saying how much fuel we could save if we denied drivers' licenses to Jews.
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:35,373 Points:2,400,045 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 10:31:23 PM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse obamacare will fix it............
aquarinut Champion Author British Columbia Posts:1,631 Points:445,490 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 10:28:20 PM Ignore aquarinut Report Abuse I weigh about a buck forty... but who really gives a cr@p??? If I weighed two forty... three forty, it really doesn't matter that much. If you REALLY want some fuel economy.......... I would think trimming a few tens of thousands of pounds of useless govt fat (politicians and their cronies who write trash like this) would probably make the savings several hundred fold of the mere "conjectured" amount of this article.
kitty1750 Champion Author Kitchener-Waterloo Posts:2,199 Points:470,675 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 10:16:25 PM Ignore kitty1750 Report Abuse LOL asog75 :) Good one!
runner74 Champion Author Washington Posts:2,851 Points:596,915 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 10:15:45 PM Ignore runner74 Report Abuse more fat = more fuel
cheapchickKY Champion Author Lexington Posts:4,164 Points:824,965 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 10:13:23 PM Ignore cheapchickKY Report Abuse This is reaching for a story.
asog75 All-Star Author Indiana Posts:838 Points:283,245 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 10:12:36 PM Ignore asog75 Report Abuse they can kiss my fatty acids!!!
kitty1750 Champion Author Kitchener-Waterloo Posts:2,199 Points:470,675 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 10:05:04 PM Ignore kitty1750 Report Abuse If the Kitchener-Waterloo sense of humour is odd, then at least it's better than the NO sense of humour "mentality" of some.
MN1 Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:3,499 Points:678,890 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 10:03:29 PM Ignore MN1 Report Abuse Okay
alterman156 Champion Author New York Posts:7,630 Points:1,585,225 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 9:57:38 PM Ignore alterman156 Report Abuse Look at the size of some of the people today. Whenever they go for a ride, the vehicle they are riding in needs to use more fuel because of the person's extra weight. Not only is more fuel used, the tires wear out that much more quickly.
MusicalMan7 All-Star Author Ohio Posts:597 Points:93,430 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 9:57:37 PM Ignore MusicalMan7 Report Abuse I take exception to this article! First of all, I did NOT use a billion more gallons of gasoline than I would have if I were still as thin as I was in 1960. Well, maybe I do, since in 1960 I weighed only a couple pounds in a womb. OK, so to compensate, take some junk out of the trunk literally if you can't do it figuratively.
bills299 Champion Author Atlanta Posts:3,511 Points:933,165 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 9:55:55 PM Ignore bills299 Report Abuse wow fatties make us use more gas!!
NHLiveFree Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:11,307 Points:1,651,065 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 9:48:27 PM Ignore NHLiveFree Report Abuse Must be some odd Kitchner-Waterloo sort of humor. Sad and paranoid thinking doekiller. The author of this statistical study left out the calculations on all the energy required to produce and transport all that extra food that created all that excess weight. Look at the study as one more great incentive toward losing 10 or 20 pounds, in addition to feeling better and living longer. Oh wait, the doekiller mentatility made me recall that living longer will "waste" even more energy! Never mind and DON'T do all that and above all, DO NOT LIVE LONGER!!!(esp. if you are one of them 'thar nasty "liberals".
kitty1750 Champion Author Kitchener-Waterloo Posts:2,199 Points:470,675 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 9:40:34 PM Ignore kitty1750 Report Abuse How much gas hauls a big fat azz if a big fat azz had gas.
Rich1430 All-Star Author Indiana Posts:764 Points:279,000 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 9:40:22 PM Ignore Rich1430 Report Abuse I thought I sensed something not right about this story. I had never heard of such a report as this until now. What brain dead moron would think something up like this is beyond me.
doeslayersr Champion Author Illinois Posts:9,308 Points:899,930 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 9:30:16 PM Ignore doeslayersr Report Abuse I called this about a year ago. I said it would not be long before the left tries to villify overweight people as far as driving goes. I would not be surprised if they restrict overweight people to riding on mass transit... all in the interest of saving $$$$ and energy of course. Also, do not forget the fat tax for the people who refuse to lose weight.
el_fr Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:3,482 Points:773,375 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 9:25:08 PM Ignore el_fr Report Abuse Ha! What a joke.
aquarinut Champion Author British Columbia Posts:1,631 Points:445,490 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 9:18:39 PM Ignore aquarinut Report Abuse Is this another obama finger pointing game (this time at tax paying citizens) to deflect blame from his policies and administrative cohorts!!
aquarinut Champion Author British Columbia Posts:1,631 Points:445,490 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 9:14:57 PM Ignore aquarinut Report Abuse And the current administration wastes $200 billion a year!
anascom Champion Author Hamilton Posts:1,593 Points:556,690 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: May 1, 2012 9:11:12 PM Ignore anascom Report Abuse wow!!