dagblog - Comments for "Why Americans Live Shorter Lives"

Excellent article. On the

TimDanahey — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 23:39:06 +0000

In reply to Why Americans Live Shorter Lives

Excellent article.

On the positive side, Portland just changed its city planning guidleines in a manner that assures people can get everything they need to live within a twenty minute walk. It is a good ingredient to the fight obesity salad.

On the lighter side (pardon the pun), I live in the least obese state - Colorado. My wife looks forward to our eventual move to the Delaware Valley. She believes we'll look thinner by comparison. By that logic, we can create an economic development slogan for Mississippi or Oklahoma: "Move Here - You'll Look Thinner and Seem Smarter".

Simply Brilliant.

Saladin — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 23:14:51 +0000

In reply to Two words: Fat panels

Simply Brilliant.

Is that true about all

Rachel G — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 23:07:28 +0000

In reply to Thanks for stopping, Rachel.

Is that true about all publicity campaigns? Australia had pretty brutal anti-smoking and drunk driving campaigns that I think were quite effective. And here w/ babies, 'back to sleep' is one that is so sweeping now many infants have flattened skulls due to too much time on their backs. In any case, maybe we should just welcome our Japanese overlords already.

Good points, flowerchild. I

we are stardust — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 21:34:56 +0000

In reply to There is a map missing

Good points, flowerchild. I dug this up as the simplest from studies some time back about obesity in poor urban areas. Many neighborhoods, it was discovered, only had quick stop shopping within walking distance, no bus service or inadequate, la la la.

Now this stuff used to drive Jason Miller around the bend, since he lived in DeeCee and said you could buy fresh veggies on every corner or something, but I doubt that's the case very often, and especially in climates with short growing seasons.

Keeping soda machines out of schools helps, and some schools are starting it, but fruit juice may not be the best alternative; lots of it's made with corn syrup, too.

Tax fatty foods? How Nanny State punitive can you get? Education on corn syrup's dangers would be lovely; hell, outlaw it. Oh, no; can't do it: the Democrats just voted against ending the ethanol subsidies. Corn subsidies = Iowa primary wins?

And by the way...why do you seem to all want to live longer, anyway? Live healthier, smarter, more lovingly, more directedly, but longer?

Maybe the problem is

Peter Schwartz — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 20:47:27 +0000

In reply to A nit on thisthe US will

Maybe the problem is with...speaking English!

Move over to French or German or Italian...et voilà!

Thanks for the correction,

Michael Wolraich — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:52:00 +0000

In reply to A nit on thisthe US will

Thanks for the correction, Lamont. It turns out that my obesity data is old--from 2002 and 2003. At that point, the US had over six points on Mexico and nine on Australia.

But actually that's OK because life expectancy would reflect historical obesity trends. My data, if anything, is probably too recent.

PS I wasn't alleging any link between obesity and quality of care, just obesity and life expectancy.

... I'm getting better.

Donal — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:44:16 +0000

In reply to It's a good thing that he had

... I'm getting better.

Yabba dabba doo!!!!

AmericanDreamer — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:43:54 +0000

In reply to The obesity issue -

Yabba dabba doo!!!!

The obesity issue -

quinn esq — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:41:01 +0000

In reply to Green transportation

The obesity issue - especially portion size - has been with us for some time.

A nit on thisthe US will

Lamont — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:16:37 +0000

In reply to Why Americans Live Shorter Lives

A nit on this

the US will remain the fattest country in the world with a shamefully high mortality rate.

I believe Mexico stole that label last fall, pushing the U.S. down to #2.

New Zealand, Australia, UK, Canada and Ireland were next on the list, providing evidence that quality of health care system doesn't relate much to the obesity problem.