Fat Chance of Curbing Global Warming

If you are one of those who has had it up to here with the current price of gas and rising grocery bills – and are concerned about global warming - blame it on the fat people – or the obese, if you want to be politically correct.

A study carried out by a team at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has concluded that obese folks use up more fuel, not only to transport their bulky derrieres, but the humungous amount of food they consume. Naturally this adds up to food shortages and high energy prices.

A short physiology lesson here, for the scientifically minded, would be appropriate. Obesity is measured in terms of Body Mass Index (BMI), which in turn, is a calculation of a person’s height to his weight. ‘Normal’ people have a BMI between 18 and 25. If your BMI is more than 25, you are considered overweight. If your BMI is over 30, you are just plain fat.

I kind of feel sorry for the fat guys (so I’m not politically correct, so sue me). As it is, they have to worry about their excess weight putting them at greater risk of cardiovascular episodes and psychiatric disorders. Psychiatric disorders? Don’t take my word for it. Researchers at the University of Connecticut Health Center analyzed data collected from 40,000 Americans. Their findings were that obese people are twice as likely, than their fit brethren, to suffer from depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions. Now, on top of the all that, they have to carry around the guilt of adding to global warming.

If it’s any consolation, they are far from being alone. At last count, more than 400 million people around the world are estimated to be obese. According to the World Health Organization, this figure is expected to rise to 700 million by 2015. Think about it. That’s twice the entire population of the United States.

And George Bush has the gall to accuse us slim and undernourished Indians of pushing up food demand by eating a lot. Shame on him. I could go on, but my large pepperoni pizza with double cheese has just arrived – and I like it hot.

REUTERS