Is Obesity Causing Global Warming?
Phil Edwards and Ian Roberts (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine) published their findings in the International Journal of Epidemiology: "Population adiposity and climate change".
They found a definite relationship between obesity and greenhouse gas emissions, and Reuters summarised their estimates:
Each fat person is responsible for about one tonne of carbon dioxide emissions a year more on average than each thin person, adding up to an extra one billion tonnes of CO2 a year in a population of one billion overweight people.
The effect is to do with several factors:
- Obese people eat more - causing more carbon emissions result from extra food production
- Obese people weigh more - creating a greater load on transport vehicles (hence causing more fuel to be used)
- Obese people are more likely to take the car than to walk or cycle
If you're looking to cut your carbon footprint, this research suggests that cutting your weight to a healthy level could be a good place to start.
More like this in Science · Apr 21, 2009
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Don't expect to see a Michael Moore documentary anytime soon. I wonder if the goverment could impose a carbon tax? Can you imagine Al Gore power point presentation?
ReplyHmm, when I read that title i wanted to roll my eyes, but points well made. Obese people do use a car more often. And on top of that, the car burns more fuel trying to drag their big butts around.
And lets not forget... Obese People Also Fart More. Now These Are Some Emissions That'll Break Up The Ozone Layer!
Reply@FitJerk: As a large person, I was willing to concede your first two points, but I must take issue with the farting charge. One of the smallest and fittest people I know has to be solely responsible for at least 2 cubic miles of ozone depletion. I blame all the dairy he consumes. Add the flatulence of the 2 dairy cows it takes to support his cottage cheese habit and his skinny butt dwarfs my CO2 footprint by a factor of 10. :D
ReplyLOL! Ah that made me crack up. Yeah cottage cheese is quite the catalyst to some extreme "heat"
ReplyHere in Australia we have an ad telling people "be green, go veg, save our planet" ...mainly from farting cows! Sadly, all those legumes and lentils make vegetarians (fat and skinny) absolute fart machines. Cows have nothing on them. I guess we could all light our farts and illuminate whole cities.
ReplyOkay, first of all it's CLIMATE CHANGE. We can't call it global warming because when the climate begins to cool (and it will) we're going to look like a bunch of idiots. If we want to have any hope of shoving our anti-business, quasi-socialist agenda down the throats of unsuspecting citizens, we have to couch it in the most obtuse terms possible. So, please, CLIMATE CHANGE.
That said, I'm sure we can count on our bloated, over-sized, over-reaching federal Government to concoct some invasive, freedom suppressing law to deal with the "problem". I think a cap and trade system for your fat cells would be a great idea. You buy fat credits from the government and if you stay thin you can sell your fat credits to wealthy fat slobs.
Frankly given all of the research that's been coming out on "climate change", I'm surprised that anyone takes the notion of anthropogenic warming seriously.
ReplyClimate change-hah! You know darn well that those obese SUV driving pre-historic fools with their careless and thoughtless cultures ended the ice age. Pu-lease!
ReplyAnd let's be honest, it's not fat people that are the problem. It's people in general. To save mother earth we need to take a page from the Nazi play book and start slaughtering people en mass. Start with the fat ones and work our way down. It's only a matter of time. The Left hates humanity.
ReplyOh don't worry, the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement already exists, and has some decent things to say. Minus the whole killing people thing.
ReplyI agree. Alright Barry, you're up first. Stand up against the wall and let me blast your face off. Would you like me to use an AK47 or a M16?
ReplyOh, Brother...
ReplyI think there are so many things contributing to GLOBAL WARMING. This is another study to read & think about but we can't blame everything on being obese. I think the key is to find ways to get people to be healthy & to make lifestyle changes towards that for life. I live in crowded southern CA & all sizes drive for sure!
Barry, I appreciate your right to blog & post but not everything has to turn into a political statement. Let's try to stick to the health/fitness part. Saying that, you are free to write what you want, I just totally disagree with you on your political stuff & honestly whether I did or did not agree or disagree, I rather not hear it here.
Replyamen to your last comment. I come here everyday to learn about the latest in fitness and to stay motivated, not to get the political commentary.
ReplyThe same here.
ReplyWhen someone tries to edge "global warming" into fitness "studies" it should be discussed. And that is what happened here. Someone decided to rail against fat people using the political bludgeoning tool of "global warming."
Everyone who slapped at this ridiculousness was warranted in doing so. It;s junk science coupled with hatred of the obese.
ReplyI think there is a difference between "discussing it" versus railing about it. Discussion is fine although I prefer not here BUT ranting is a bit off to me.
You have the right to your opinion as well.
ReplyPolitics aside, I think a lot of these types of studies are more of a correlation than a causation. Obese people aren't CAUSING global warming on their own; they're merely associated with activities that lead to a higher carbon footprint--many of them drive bigger/more comfortable cars, they probably don't walk/bike as often as thin people, etc. But that doesn't mean that there aren't a ton of thin people out there that are also driving Hummers and wasting energy too.
Oh, and FJ, I'm going to have to disagree with you about fat people farting more...any time I eat onions and broccoli, I can produce something like 3 times as much toxic air as my husband (who's twice my size)...so yeah, it's more about what you eat, not what you weigh.
ReplyThis whole article holds no weight (no pun intended). I mean, give me a break. What about all the thin people that drive SUV's on their long commute? What about the thin people that waste food (it's the restaurants giving out the portions most of the time)? And I understand that a heavier set person may take more auto transportation opposed to walking; but let's be real: Don't heavier people get out less anyways?
I shake my head at this entire finding.
ReplyExcuse me, but this is just BS.
1. Slim people are freezing all the time. If we have slim people over we have to turn up the heating by at least 3 degrees. Now imagine how much CO2 they produce in their homes!
2. Very good point about the waste of food, Melinda!
3. Fat people in SUVs? Are you serious? I live in Paris, one of the centers of vanity. The slim and beautiful are the ones who drive SUVs (in Paris!!!) and those overpowered convertibles so everybody can see them. Please try to get real!
And finally: The few kilograms CO2 that a few pounds may add to the statistics may count when you sum up all the overweight people. But industry, heating and big fat cars (and taking the airplane to fancy holiday destinations where you can display your slim body on the beach) produce so much more alone that this is really no fair comparison.
ReplyI would just like to say that this is very comical. I would agree that some individuals over-consume, some are thin and some obese. However, when it costs $5 for a value meal or $10 for a salad with no drink and with the economy in the shape that it is in, what are you going to choose? Think about it!
ReplyI am going to choose to eat at home... I am going to walk to the grocery store. I am going to choose 3 dollars for a box of lunch meat, 2 dollars for a bag of bread, and a dollar for some mustard. 75 cents for an apple. Pack up a few apples, and you can have that as a meal for 5 days. Cheap cheap. It's not about the pocket book, it's about thinking smart. Obese or not. It's tons cheaper eating at home.
ReplyI agree with Melinda! Prepare your meals at home for healthier food that costs less.
ReplyNo what I was looking for! :(
Reply