I was discussing obesity with a Pilates client of mine today.  She had just returned from a trip to Disney World with her children and grandchildren, and had some interesting observations on that state of weight in America.  Her first remark was that she had never seen so many morbidly obese people in her life.  Then she went on to give me some images: obese children with faces so fat you could barely see their eyes; 11 year olds squeezed into strollers to be pushed around instead of walking; adults on motorized scooters wheezing as they got on and off; adults and kids too heavy to go on certain rides. 

And then there was the food they ate.  "Individuals walking around gnawing on BBQ turkey legs big enough to feed a family of four (the official food of Disney) with extra large soft drinks and corn dogs as a snack.  Ice cream everywhere."  Apparently there are no lines for the also tasty healthier choices, so sushi and salads which necessitate taking a ride break were a bit more expensive and not as plentiful, but there were no lines.

It's not a pretty picture, but according to the latest statistics this is the face and body of America. Thirty-two percent of Americans are obese (and this crosses color and income demographics), and the average American woman weighs 20 pounds more than she did in 1970.  While some may argue that we are healthier, this is mostly due to better medications for cholesterol, high blood pressure, and joint pain.  There are over 100 over the counter diet pills and close to the same number of diet plans, which along with the accompanying books, "plus size" products, and related reality television programs, amount to a $49 billion dollar a year industry.  So how exactly did we get this way?

Health Economist Eric Finkelstein and writer Laurie Zuckerman try to answer this question in The Fattening of America.  After reviewing the depressing obesity statistics, they delve into possible causes and then how we can address them.  Basically, in economics terms, this "ObesEconomy" is caused by individual choices in utility-maximization made possible by technological advancements.  In lay terms, technological advancements have made it possible for us to knowingly choose to eat more, work more, exercise less, and still lead relatively healthy lives.

Advancements in farming and food production and distribution mean cheaper and easier-to-get food, and the proliferation of less expensive fast and prepared food means it takes less time out of the day to get and eat the food.  Physical activity costs more, in terms of opportunity, cost (personal time away from from work and leisure), and in actually paying for gym memberships, among other factors.  And the personal costs of obesity are much lower now that we have medications to help us maintain our blood pressure and cholesterol.  In the end, 2/3 of American adults have decided that "in today's ObesEconomy, the costs of maintaining a lower weight are just not worth the effort."