Obesity rates rising, health care system buckling

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of fattiness: Tom Laskawy has a brutally pointed post about a new state-level study of obesity rates, which found that obesity rates among adults rose in 23 states over the past year and didn't decline anywhere. What's particularly worrying is that in every state, the "rate of obesity is higher among 55- to 64-year-olds - the oldest boomers — than among today's 65-and-beyond." Cue a tsunami-like surge in Medicare needs. But hey, they'll die sooner, right? Not before costing us more. Tom zeroes in on what should be health care's No. 1 target: attacking the root cause. (Beyond Green Blog)

Comments

By Ed Bruske on July 1st, 2009 at 5:41 pm

Funny, bu the root cause of the obesity epidemic is the tsunami of cheap carbohydrates. All you anti-meat, anti-fat-nicks take note. A plant-based diet is not the answer. The federal dietary guidelines and ass-backwards food pyramid admonishing Americans to eat less meat and more carbohydrates is a perfect prescription for obesity and diabetes.