The Fattening of America

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.

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 I’ll 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 We’re Moving Less (Hint: It’s Not Just the La-Z-Boy) 37 But I Don’t Have Time! 38 Not Quite the Jetsons, But . . . 40 Just Be a Marathon Runner 44 We’re 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 (It’s a Dirty Business) 63 Blame That Nasty “Fat Bug” 64 It’s 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 We’re Fat—Who Cares? 81 Is Uncle Al Overweight? 82 C’mon Now, We’re Only Utility Maximizing 85 Now, Let’s 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 Employer’s Dilemma 181 Why Don’t Businesses Invest More in the Health of Their Workforce? 182 The Dirty Secret about Employee Wellness Programs 189 So What’s 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