Commentary
Last year, the average life expectancy of Americans dropped to 76.1 years, the lowest in 25 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The question, though, is why? In short, Americans are desperately unhealthy. This is a point that has been emphasized before. Nevertheless, if the United States has any hope of turning this deeply unhealthy tide, uncomfortable truths must be explored and discussed.
One major reason why Americans are dying younger has to do with their ever-expanding waistlines. Moderate obesity is shown to reduce lifespan by roughly three years.
Twenty years ago, the obesity rate in the United States was less than 15 percent. Today, close to 40 percent of American adults aged 20 and above are obese. By 2030, nearly half of American adults (49.2 percent) will be obese. By 2050, anywhere between 60 percent and 80 percent of the adult population will be obese….