Save on gas, lose weight at Catch a Gideon

November 17th, 2006 by digerati

An interesting article on Yahoo! citing a study on American’s obesity and the impact on gasoline.

The study claims that American’s use an extra BILLION gallons of gas each year due to weight increase since the 1960s. For someone who drives a typical amount (under 12,000 miles per year) this amounts to about 18 gallons of gas per year ($40-50 at todays prices).

Other experts agree, saying that even if the numbers are wrong the concepts make sense. (duh?) If you put more weight in your car you’re going to get fewer miles per gallon. The average weight of men (in 2002) was 191 pounds, and 164 for women, about 25 pounds more than in 1960.

Ok, so we’re using more gas because we’re fat? I’ll buy that, but the study doesn’t seem to include things like height increase as well. People are taller (maybe not by a lot) than 45 years ago and that means extra weight as well. Also, no one commented on the fact that an SUV weighs way more than it needs to. I’ll agree that the cars of the 60s were probably fairly heavy as well (solid steel construction?), Perhaps it would be better to compare the mid 70s to now since car weight significantly drooped with the gas crisis of that decade.

Also I have to agree with the quote from CDC director Dr. Koplan:

the findings are almost beside the point.

“The wrong fuel is being focused on,” said Koplan, now at Emory University. “If you’re heavier, the most important fuel you use more of is food.”

Eating less, driving less and choosing more active means of transportation would reduce gas consumption, and also help reverse rising obesity rates, he said.

That’s right, stop driving and you’ll save on gas! The billion gallons accounts for apparently .07% of the gas used. I assume you could save at least that much by reducing driving by .07%, and walking that distance instead would probably be much healthier and save more money in the long run.

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