The Fattening of America: How The Economy Makes Us Fat, If It Matters, and What

Description: FREE SHIPPING UK WIDE The Fattening of America by Eric A. Finkelstein, Laurie Zuckerman In The Fattening of America, renowned health economist Eric Finkelstein, along with business writer Laurie Zuckerman, reveal how the U.S. economy has become the driving force behind our expanding waistlines. FORMAT Hardcover LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description In The Fattening of America, renowned health economist Eric Finkelstein, along with business writer Laurie Zuckerman, reveal how the U.S. economy has become the driving force behind our expanding waistlines. Blending theory, research, and engaging personal anecdotes the authors discuss how declining food costs—especially for high-calorie, low-nutrient foods—and an increasing usage of technology, which make Americans more sedentary, has essentially led us to eat more calories than we burn off. Back Cover Over two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. Whats alarming about this statistic is not just the volume of Americans who have tipped their scales--but the velocity at which theyre doing it. Over the past three decades, the number of obese Americans has more than doubled. The increase occurred up and down the socioeconomic spectrum, for all racial and ethnic groups, and, most dramatically, for Americas children. Whats behind the sudden, explosive rise in obesity rates? In a word, its economics. Author Eric Finkelstein, a renowned health economist who has spent much of his career studying the economics of obesity, with the help of coauthor Laurie Zuckerman, reveals why Americas growing waistline is a by-product of our economic and technological success. Because of declining food costs, especially for high-calorie, low-nutrient foods, and increasing usage of technology, which make Americans more sedentary, the environment has changed in such a way that were eating more calories and burning off less. The issue is not that Americans dont care about their increasing waistlines--quite the opposite, in fact. But the reality is that in Americas (and increasingly the worlds) obesity-inducing environment, the sustained changes in behavior required to lose the weight and keep it off are simply too difficult--and becoming more difficult all the time. Moreover, generous insurance coverage and vastly improved medical treatments have lowered the health costs, if not the monetary costs, of excess weight. So carrying a few extra pounds is not as bad for ones health as it used to be. Finkelstein and Zuckerman blend theory, research, and engaging--sometimes hilarious--personal anecdotes to break down the causes and the consequences of Americas obesity epidemic. One by one, they explore the medias claim that obesity is making our businesses less competitive, pushing good jobs overseas, hurting our military readiness, increasing our taxes, and helping to bankrupt the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Along the way, the authors also reveal how the obesity epidemic has spurred tremendous demand for all sorts of new products and services, creating a flourishing new market that they call "The ObesEconomy." The Fattening of America outlines the issues we must deal with to confront obesity. The authors explore the role that business and policymakers play in Americas obesity epidemic, and explain that successful obesity prevention strategies need to do exactly the opposite of where the economy is taking us. They need to make it cheaper and easier to be thin--not fat. However, because obesity is a natural by-product of an expanding economy, the authors question whether or not obesity prevention efforts, even if successful, would actually leave some individuals worse off. Flap Over two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. Whats alarming about this statistic is not just the volume of Americans who have tipped their scales--but the velocity at which theyre doing it. Over the past three decades, the number of obese Americans has more than doubled. The increase occurred up and down the socioeconomic spectrum, for all racial and ethnic groups, and, most dramatically, for Americas children. Whats behind the sudden, explosive rise in obesity rates? In a word, its economics. Author Eric Finkelstein, a renowned health economist who has spent much of his career studying the economics of obesity, with the help of coauthor Laurie Zuckerman, reveals why Americas growing waistline is a by-product of our economic and technological success. Because of declining food costs, especially for high-calorie, low-nutrient foods, and increasing usage of technology, which make Americans more sedentary, the environment has changed in such a way that were eating more calories and burning off less. The issue is not that Americans dont care about their increasing waistlines--quite the opposite, in fact. But the reality is that in Americas (and increasingly the worlds) obesity-inducing environment, the sustained changes in behavior required to lose the weight and keep it off are simply too difficult--and becoming more difficult all the time. Moreover, generous insurance coverage and vastly improved medical treatments have lowered the health costs, if not the monetary costs, of excess weight. So carrying a few extra pounds is not as bad for ones health as it used to be. Finkelstein and Zuckerman blend theory, research, and engaging--sometimes hilarious--personal anecdotes to break down the causes and the consequences of Americas obesity epidemic. One by one, they explore the medias claim that obesity is making our businesses less competitive, pushing good jobs overseas, hurting our military readiness, increasing our taxes, and helping to bankrupt the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Along the way, the authors also reveal how the obesity epidemic has spurred tremendous demand for all sorts of new products and services, creating a flourishing new market that they call "The ObesEconomy." The Fattening of America outlines the issues we must deal with to confront obesity. The authors explore the role that business and policymakers play in Americas obesity epidemic, and explain that successful obesity prevention strategies need to do exactly the opposite of where the economy is taking us. They need to make it cheaper and easier to be thin--not fat. However, because obesity is a natural by-product of an expanding economy, the authors question whether or not obesity prevention efforts, even if successful, would actually leave some individuals worse off. Author Biography ERIC A. FINKELSTEIN, PHD, MHA, is a nationally acclaimed expert on the subject of economics and obesity. He is a health economist with the research organization RTI International in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and teaches health economics at Duke University. His work focuses on the economic causes and consequences of health-related behaviors, with a primary emphasis on obesity. Finkelstein has published over thirty peer-reviewed articles on the economics of obesity and related behaviors. His research has been featured on the front page of USA Today and has been covered in the Economist, the New York Times, Forbes, the Washington Post, and many other newspaper, radio, and television outlets. LAURIE ZUCKERMAN left her corporate PR job in 1999 to make writing her full-time career. She contributes columns and feature articles to a number of business journals and lifestyle magazines, and writes for businesses ranging from Fortune 500s to startups, with a focus on health care, high tech, and business. Table of Contents Introduction: Answering the Age-Old Question: Why is Uncle Al So Fat? ix Chapter 1 Craze or Crisis? 1 So Why Now? 2 My Soccer Team Eats Oranges 3 So How about Adults? Are We Gaining, Too? 7 A Growing Waistline Can Be Bad for Your Health 10 But Are We the Only Ones Gaining Weight? 13 The Longer You Stay, the Bigger You Get 16 Chapter 2 Ill Take a Deep-Fried Coca-Cola 17 First Things First 18 Cheap Food Gets Cheaper 19 The Rise of French-Fried Potatoes 22 Please Pass the High-Fructose Corn Syrup 24 A Full Pound of Sausage, Bacon, and Ham: Have a Meaty Morning 28 Too Much of a Good Thing 31 Kids Are Also Drinking the Kool-Aid 33 When is Enough Enough? 34 Chapter 3 Why Were Moving Less (Hint: Its Not Just the La-Z-Boy) 37 But I Dont Have Time! 38 Not Quite the Jetsons, But . . . 40 Just Be a Marathon Runner 44 Were Not Farmers Anymore 45 Sprawling Out 47 Our Kids Are Also Slowing Down 48 Wrapping It Up 49 Chapter 4 So Where Else Can We Lay the Blame? 51 Blame Mom and Dad 52 Then Just Blame Mom (You Know You Will Anyway) 55 Blame the Meds 56 Blame the Cigs (One More Theory Goes Up in Smoke) 59 Blame the All-Nighter 61 Blame the Air Conditioner (Not Cool) 62 Blame Pollution (Its a Dirty Business) 63 Blame That Nasty "Fat Bug" 64 Its the Economy, Stupid 67 Chapter 5 Beware: Moral Hazard 69 Just Bill My Health Insurance 71 Is Obesity as Bad as It Used to Be? 74 Just Take a Pill or Get a Procedure 76 Chapter 6 So Were Fat—Who Cares? 81 Is Uncle Al Overweight? 82 Cmon Now, Were Only Utility Maximizing 85 Now, Lets Tear This Argument Apart (and Put It Back Together) 88 So Should Dad (and the Government) Care that Uncle Al is Obese? 91 Just Follow the Money 93 Chapter 7 The Role of Government 101 Market Failures 103 Externalities 105 Market Power 107 Public Goods 108 Obesity and National Defense 109 Imperfect (Asymmetric) Information 111 Is There a Role for Government? 115 Chapter 8 Weighing the Public Policy Issues (for Adults) 117 Equity 118 Irrationality 122 Compelling Public Need 123 Revisiting Past Policy 125 The Road Ahead 138 Summing Up 151 Chapter 9 Weighing the Public Policy Issues (for Kids) 153 First, a Step Back 155 Child Abuse? 160 School-Based Regulations 161 Your Mouth Will Really Groove 175 In Closing 179 Chapter 10 The Employers Dilemma 181 Why Dont Businesses Invest More in the Health of Their Workforce? 182 The Dirty Secret about Employee Wellness Programs 189 So Whats an Employer to Do? 192 Could These Programs Get Me in Legal Hot Water? 201 Chapter 11 The ObesEconomy 203 Just How Big is the Weight-Loss Industry? 204 Just Take a Pill 209 Bigger and Better 214 Invest in New Technology 219 In the Name of Progress 221 Chapter 12 How to Lose Weight Like an Economist 223 Economic Weight-Loss Techniques 226 A Few More Secrets to Success 231 Conclusion 234 Notes 239 About the Authors 267 Index 269 Review "Fatty, fat, fat, fat," chants Bart Simpson. He has a point. Americans are getting fatter. But health economist Finkelstein (public health economics program, Research Triangle Inst.; coauthor, with Phaedra S. Corso and Ted R. Miller, The Incidence and Economic Burden of Injuries in the United States) and business writer Zuckerman (coauthor with Mary Cantando, Nine Lives: Stories of Women Business Owners Landing on Their Feet) analyze the finances behind the fat. They trace some of the familiar causes of the bulging American waistline that Greg Critzer identified in Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World. They weigh in on the economics of obesity, which they trace back to predictable sources such as school lunch rooms, fast food, television, commuting, and working moms. Then they target some surprising causes, including health insurance. On the flip side, they detail the economic consequences of obesity. For instance, obese employees take more sick days than do normal-weight employees-and their paychecks are slimmer. The authors highlight fascinating new scientific research into the causes of obesity and offer tips on lightening your load over the long haul. This book serves up a healthy selection for public and academic library business collections.—Carol J. Elsen, Univ. of Wisconsin, Whitewater (Library Journal, January 2008) Everyone knows Americans are growing fatter, but health economist Finkelstein crunches the economic figures behind the nations obesity epidemic and the results arent pretty. Along with health-care writer Zuckerman, researcher Finkelstein delves into how modern technology reduces the cost of producing higher-calorie processed goods, decreases our activity level and puts our health in danger. Finkelstein debunks myths about the long-range cost of food production and consumption and scrutinizes the impact of genetics and U.S. fiscal policy on the nations waistline, frequently using economics metrics in his analysis. Generous with summaries of major points, Finkelstein simplifies current stats to explain how the countrys thunderous weight gain is straining Medicare and Medicaid and hurting our military readiness. The only positive effect he sees from the obesity epidemic is the creation of the "ObesEconomy"—a market sustained by gyms, diet drugs and other products and services designed to curb weight gain. Horrified by studies that reveal that obese children have a quality of life similar to children with cancer, the investigatory economist even throws in some health tips on dropping pounds. Despite a frequent reliance on economic tools and indicators, this combination study/motivational guide makes for a pleasant educational read, comparable to a vegetable puree snuck into a dessert. (Jan.) (Publishers Weekly, December 3, 2007) "Finkelsteins tone is chatty and accessible…obesity is ultimately bad economics." (Financial Times, Saturday 16th February 2008) "The authors show there is a casual relationship between the growth of the waistline and the changing shape of the economy." (Securities & Investment Review, March 2008) Long Description Praise for The Fattening Of America "Eric Finkelstein and Laurie Zuckerman show that our entire society profits from making people fat and then either keeping them fat or making them thin again. When you understand how these powerful forces work, you can do a better job of resisting them and staying healthy." Jack Challem, bestselling author of The Food-Mood Solution and Stop Prediabetes Now "Everyone who eats food in America must read this book. It is a comprehensive guide to how weve become the fattest nation on the planet and how the food industry, in cahoots with the government, makes us one of the least healthy nations." Fred Pescatore, MD, MPH, CCN, author of The Hamptons Diet "The authors have done an excellent job talking to mainstream America about obesity. It brings together all of the latest research and packages it in a way that is engaging for the average person. I very much enjoyed the book and would recommend it for anyone interested in obesity. Well done." James O. Hill, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and author of The Step Diet: Count Steps, Not Calories to Lose Weight and Keep It Off Forever "The Fattening of America is an important book for everyone interested in gaining a better understanding of the underlying causes behind the obesity epidemic and options for addressing it." Barry Popkin, Carla Smith Chamblee Distinguished Professor of Global Nutrition at the University of North Carolina Review Text ?Fatty, fat, fat, fat,? chants Bart Simpson. He has a point. Americans are getting fatter. But health economist Finkelstein (public health economics program, Research Triangle Inst.; coauthor, with Phaedra S. Corso and Ted R. Miller, The Incidence and Economic Burden of Injuries in the United States) and business writer Zuckerman (coauthor with Mary Cantando, Nine Lives: Stories of Women Business Owners Landing on Their Feet) analyze the finances behind the fat. They trace some of the familiar causes of the bulging American waistline that Greg Critzer identified in Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World. They weigh in on the economics of obesity, which they trace back to predictable sources such as school lunch rooms, fast food, television, commuting, and working moms. Then they target some surprising causes, including health insurance. On the flip side, they detail the economic consequences of obesity. For instance, obese employees take more sick days than do normal-weight employees-and their paychecks are slimmer. The authors highlight fascinating new scientific research into the causes of obesity and offer tips on lightening your load over the long haul. This book serves up a healthy selection for public and academic library business collections.?Carol J. Elsen, Univ. of Wisconsin, Whitewater (Library Journal, January 2008) Everyone knows Americans are growing fatter, but health economist Finkelstein crunches the economic figures behind the nations obesity epidemic and the results arent pretty. Along with health-care writer Zuckerman, researcher Finkelstein delves into how modern technology reduces the cost of producing higher-calorie processed goods, decreases our activity level and puts our health in danger. Finkelstein debunks myths about the long-range cost of food production and consumption and scrutinizes the impact of genetics and U.S. fiscal policy on the nations waistline, frequently using economics metrics in his analysis. Generous with summaries of major points, Finkelstein simplifies current stats to explain how the countrys thunderous weight gain is straining Medicare and Medicaid and hurting our military readiness. The only positive effect he sees from the obesity epidemic is the creation of the ?ObesEconomy??a market sustained by gyms, diet drugs and other products and services designed to curb weight gain. Horrified by studies that reveal that obese children have a quality of life similar to children with cancer, the investigatory economist even throws in some health tips on dropping pounds. Despite a frequent reliance on economic tools and indicators, this combination study/motivational guide makes for a pleasant educational read, comparable to a vegetable puree snuck into a dessert. (Jan.) (Publishers Weekly, December 3, 2007) ?Finkelstein?s tone is chatty and accessible?obesity is ultimately bad economics.? (Financial Times, Saturday 16th February 2008) ?The authors show there is a casual relationship between the growth of the waistline and the changing shape of the economy.?Â (Securities & Investment Review, March 2008) Review Quote "The authors highlight fascinating new scientific research into the causes of obesity and offer tips on lightening your load over the long haul." ( Library Journal , January 2008) "this combination study/motivational guide makes for a pleasant educational read." ( Publishers Weekly , December 3, 2007) "Finkelsteins tone is chatty and accessible...obesity is ultimately bad economics." ( Financial Times , Saturday 16th February 2008) "The authors show there is a casual relationship between the growth of the waistline and the changing shape of the economy." Promotional "Headline" "Fatty, fat, fat, fat," chants Bart Simpson. He has a point. Americans are getting fatter. But health economist Finkelstein (public health economics program, Research Triangle Inst.; coauthor, with Phaedra S. Corso and Ted R. Miller, The Incidence and Economic Burden of Injuries in the United States) and business writer Zuckerman (coauthor with Mary Cantando, Nine Lives: Stories of Women Business Owners Landing on Their Feet) analyze the finances behind the fat. They trace some of the familiar causes of the bulging American waistline that Greg Critzer identified in Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World. They weigh in on the economics of obesity, which they trace back to predictable sources such as school lunch rooms, fast food, television, commuting, and working moms. Then they target some surprising causes, including health insurance. On the flip side, they detail the economic consequences of obesity. For instance, obese employees take more sick days than do normal-weight employees-and their paychecks are slimmer. The authors highlight fascinating new scientific research into the causes of obesity and offer tips on lightening your load over the long haul. This book serves up a healthy selection for public and academic library business collections.-Carol J. Elsen, Univ. of Wisconsin, Whitewater (Library Journal, January 2008) Details ISBN0470124660 Author Laurie Zuckerman Short Title FATTENING OF AMER Language English ISBN-10 0470124660 ISBN-13 9780470124666 Media Book Format Hardcover Year 2008 Edition 1st Subtitle How The Economy Makes Us Fat, If It Matters, and What To Do About It Imprint John Wiley & Sons Inc Place of Publication New York Country of Publication United States DOI 10.1604/9780470124666 UK Release Date 2008-01-18 AU Release Date 2008-01-01 NZ Release Date 2008-01-01 Pages 288 Publisher John Wiley & Sons Inc Publication Date 2008-01-18 DEWEY 306.4613 Illustrations Drawings: 16 B&W, 0 Color; Tables: 9 B&W, 0 Color Audience Professional & Vocational US Release Date 2008-01-18 We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. 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