April 24, 2009
Weekly News UpdateDoes Being Overweight Hurt the Environment?
We all know that being obese is bad for your health. But did you know that being overweight may also be bad for the environment? Recent research indicates that obese populations expend more energy and produce more greenhouse gases than leaner populations (that is, those with a healthy body mass index, or BMI).
In their study, the researchers compared a population of one billion obese people with a population of one billion lean people. Using a mathematical model, the researchers determined that an obese population would emit 0.4 to 1.0 Gigatons more carbon dioxide equivalents than a lean population. Lean populations require less food and less energy for transportation than obese populations.
Food production accounts for 20 percent and transportation accounts for 14 percent of the global greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere. Those who are overweight are more likely to use gas-powered transportation than leaner populations, who are more likely to walk or bike to their destination.
The results of this study are a cause for concern because in many countries the overall population's BMI is increasing, and there is an increased incidence of obesity worldwide. As this study's conclusions indicate, In addition to facing health problems, these populations may also be inadvertently harming the environment as well.
The study was conducted by Phil Edwards and Ian Roberts, both members of the faculty at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine's Department of Epidemiology and Population Health. The results of their research was published in the April 20 edition of the International Journal of Epidemiology.