American's are Fat. Even folks that aren't "Fat" are, for the most part, portly or hippy. I mentioned this study in my previous article which concluded that by 2020, 75% of Americans will be "Fat".
To be fair, most of my professional associates in New York City are not Fat. They compete in marathons and triathalons, rock climb, ski every winter... My neighbors in Tennessee? Most of these folks are so large they could qualify for their own zip codes. If we ever went back to lamp oil, these folks could be farmed and rendered - "Nuke the Whales" my A$$. Leave those whales alone; we have plenty of blubber right here. If I may use the dreaded generalization... It has been my experience that folks in Colorado are thin, while folks in Mississippi are not. Lifestyle, regionalism, and peer pressure seem to play a significant role.
What do the Fat do for a living? Click that link above. Look at the woman in the picture. What does she do for a living? If she does work, she is limited to Low level government employment, i.e., the Department of Motor Vehicles et al. My bet is she DOES NOT work, ergo she is either on government assistance or being supported by her family. How much of a contribution can this individual make to a her family? Is she home cooking healthy meals for the family? Seems doubtful. Statistically speaking, people of this girth are functionally disabled, certainly by the time they hit 40.
What does this mean for society? Besides employment, what about the other portion of being a productive member of our society? How does this affect their family? Will the children view this as "normal"? What if the spouse is not Fat? Any chance spousal obesity is a "deal breaker"? What about the medical consequences? i.e. diabetes, depression, etc...
This issue would seem to dwarf Peak Oil and U.S. aggregate debt, making those issues seem puny and looking wan (pun intended).
More soon.