|
|||
 |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|||
 |
|||
|
|
|
|
| Woe is us! Posted by Barbara Branden on 12/23/2004, 2:00pm | ||
| Why have Americans gotten so fat? Trial lawyers are lining up to sue the makers of snacks and fast foods, but a big part of the reason for the growth in girth is something Americans *aren't* putting in their mouths: cigarettes. As The New York Times noted this week, weight gain and smoking cessation are correlated. Body weight rose steeply during the 1980s and 1990s, just as smoking rates were falling. The average smoker who quits gains 10 to 12 pounds, and tens of millions of smokers have kicked the habit. Crack down on smoking, the experts said, and Americans will be healthier. What they didn't realize was that Americans would also be heavier. "A classic case of unintended consequences," says the Times. And a useful reminder: Always take the predictions of "experts" with a grain of salt. www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/12/23/musings_random_and_otherwise | ||
|
 |
 |
|
 |
|
