Agent_Dung_Bomb
Member
+302|6706|Salt Lake City

What would the economical ramifications be if no Americans were overweight, or at least those that were a minute portion of the population?  Well here are some numbers that are pretty eye opening.

MSN Money wrote:

In the United States today, 66% of adults are overweight. Almost 33% of adults are obese, and 4.7% are morbidly obese, or more than 100 pounds overweight. But . . .

What if nobody in America were fat?

We'd save billions of dollars in gas. Airlines would double their profits. A dearth of diabetes and other diseases would save billions of dollars more -- and put thousands of doctors on the street. McDonald's would sell not Big Macs but little steamed chicken snacks -- or watch its profits melt away. Productivity would rise, potentially creating tens of thousands more jobs or higher wages all around.

Add up the savings up on health, food, clothing and efficiencies, and you could buy a professional home gym for every U.S. household -- or hand each $4,270 in cash.
$487 billion in gas, sweat and stretch pants
Yes, it sounds a little wild, but the implications of a leaner, meaner country add up to a weighty $487 billion. That's almost 3.5% of gross domestic product, no small sum.

    * MSN Health: Tools to help you lose weight

Mind you, only 1.8% of that is new growth. The rest is a radical shift in resources, away from the needs of our bigger citizens to . . . well, whatever we and our overlords would spend these extra billions on.
I've only summarized the article.  You can read the remainder of it here.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/In … reFat.aspx

Last edited by Agent_Dung_Bomb (2008-04-30 07:02:58)

AussieReaper
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
+5,761|6123|what

All those "No Fat Chicks" shirts would lose their humour instantly. There'd be chaos!
https://i.imgur.com/maVpUMN.png
Lotta_Drool
Spit
+350|6153|Ireland
Holy Shit, that would mean good looking lesbians.  woot woot.
chittydog
less busy
+586|6805|Kubra, Damn it!

Lotta_Drool wrote:

Holy Shit, that would mean good looking lesbians.  woot woot.
So you'd rather have hot chicks with interest in your rather than fat chicks with no interest in you?
Pug
UR father's brother's nephew's former roommate
+652|6512|Texas - Bigger than France
"What if no one were fat?"

Beer would no longer have usefulness to improve your chances.
S.Lythberg
Mastermind
+429|6417|Chicago, IL
i can go outside in the summer without seeing a 400 pound person in a 120 pound persons clothes
Parker
isteal
+1,452|6364|The Gem Saloon
bikinis would look good again.
mcdonalds would see a dramatic decrease in sales.
the clothing industry would BOOM.
there would probably be another "baby boomers" type thing happening.



and most importantly, i wouldnt be disgusted by the behemoth that has beached themselves in my view while im at dinner........
Aries_37
arrivederci frog
+368|6545|London
The world would stop blaming America for everything.
PuckMercury
6 x 9 = 42
+298|6497|Portland, OR USA
the fact is, "fat" is a relative term so there would still be "fat" people, the scale would just be more miniscule.

As for economic boons ... the home entertainment industry would certainly suffer due to a less sedentary lifestyle.  Maybe channels devoted to celebrity bullshit would finally go off the air ...
IRONCHEF
Member
+385|6461|Northern California
I'm not fat, I'm big boned!  Quit picking on me!!
Parker
isteal
+1,452|6364|The Gem Saloon

PuckMercury wrote:

Maybe channels devoted to celebrity bullshit would finally go off the air ...
no.
my girl is 5'9 and weighs 120....she watches that shit any chance she gets.
it drives me insane.
sergeriver
Cowboy from Hell
+1,928|6728|Argentina
McDonald's would close.
CameronPoe
Member
+2,925|6526
That wouldn't be very fair on the rest of the world. We would have to come up with totally new stereotypes for Americans.
cpt.fass1
The Cap'n Can Make it Hap'n
+329|6666|NJ
Hey we have plenty of stereotypes to go around..
PuckMercury
6 x 9 = 42
+298|6497|Portland, OR USA

Parker wrote:

PuckMercury wrote:

Maybe channels devoted to celebrity bullshit would finally go off the air ...
no.
my girl is 5'9 and weighs 120....she watches that shit any chance she gets.
it drives me insane.
I simply meant that as there would be a lesser entertainment industry, it would hold less sway over us.  I didn't mean to imply that attractive people don't watch it.
Agent_Dung_Bomb
Member
+302|6706|Salt Lake City

My post was more directed at economic impacts.  The article covered some, but what about all these fitness informercials and diet supplements?  There is a huge market segment that caters to the fat that don't want to change and to those that do.  Because of that I can see the articles point on positive economic impact, but what about the negative?
Turquoise
O Canada
+1,596|6375|North Carolina
The whole dieting and weight loss industry would completely collapse.
DesertFox-
The very model of a modern major general
+794|6655|United States of America
Aren't those statistics based on BMI data anyway? Unless they actually have taken body fat percentages, I don't buy into this obesity epidemic (although I"m not blind to the amount of fat and surprisingly, also short in stature, people).
Kmar
Truth is my Bitch
+5,695|6571|132 and Bush

Turquoise wrote:

The whole dieting and weight loss industry would completely collapse.
You wouldn't hear "epidemic" nearly so often then. It's one of the greatest marketing schemes in history. Create a panic and secure your product.

Xbone Stormsurgezz
Mr.Dooomed
Find your center.
+752|6298

Parker wrote:

no.
my girl is 5'9 and weighs 120....she watches that shit any chance she gets.
it drives me insane.
Agreed. The media today is VERY absurd and mind numbing. I watch about 2 hours of TV a WEEK, and thats occasionally.

JUST imagine if not only people lost a lot of weight, but everybody STOPPED watching so much bullshit on TV. It would usher in a new era of intelligence and productivity, and would destroy those in our establishment/big bankers bent on a world government and having control over the people.
Nature is a powerful force. Those who seek to subdue nature, never do so permanently.
Locoloki
I got Mug 222 at Gritty's!!!!
+216|6610|Your moms bedroom
productivity would rise?

were talking about weight here, not many fat people have active jobs anyways
Kmar
Truth is my Bitch
+5,695|6571|132 and Bush

Locoloki wrote:

not many fat people have active jobs anyways
Wtf? lmao
Xbone Stormsurgezz
Doctor Strangelove
Real Battlefield Veterinarian.
+1,758|6439

Parker wrote:

PuckMercury wrote:

Maybe channels devoted to celebrity bullshit would finally go off the air ...
no.
my girl is 5'9 and weighs 120....she watches that shit any chance she gets.
it drives me insane.
Your girlfriend is taller than you? That must be embarrassing.
HurricaИe
Banned
+877|5932|Washington DC

DesertFox- wrote:

Aren't those statistics based on BMI data anyway? Unless they actually have taken body fat percentages, I don't buy into this obesity epidemic (although I"m not blind to the amount of fat and surprisingly, also short in stature, people).
I understand your doubts, but I really don't think that 33% of Americans are pro bodybuilders...
AussieReaper
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
+5,761|6123|what

DoctaStrangelove wrote:

Parker wrote:

PuckMercury wrote:

Maybe channels devoted to celebrity bullshit would finally go off the air ...
no.
my girl is 5'9 and weighs 120....she watches that shit any chance she gets.
it drives me insane.
Your girlfriend is taller than you? That must be embarrassing.
no, the heels he wears makes up for it.
https://i.imgur.com/maVpUMN.png

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