ever wonder why almost 2/3 of americans are overweight?
Human appetite is elastic: give us more, and we'll eat more.
i came across an interesting article that was published by elizabeth kolbert in the new yorker in july 2009 about the evolution of obesity and why americans are fat – it doesn’t focus on the usual fast food explanations – instead, it takes a rather darwinian approach. its title, ‘xxxl’, could not ring more true, seeing the increase in bmi (body mass index) in both men and women over the last few decades .
read the excerpt below and click on read more to see the full article on the new yorker website.
“One of the most comprehensive data sets available about Americans—how tall they are, when they last visited a dentist, what sort of cereal they eat for breakfast, whether they have to pee during the night, and, if so, how often—comes from a series of studies conducted by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Participants are chosen at random, interviewed at length, and subjected to a battery of tests in special trailers that the C.D.C. hauls around the country. The studies, known as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, began during the Eisenhower Administration and have been carried out periodically ever since…” read more
