Obesity in the United States reduced by 15% if gas prices go up $1 per gallon
This comes out of the mouth of Charles Courtemanche, an economics researcher at Washington University in St. Louis.
He also claims that 13 percent of the rise in obesity between 1979 and 2004 was attributed to falling gas (factoring inflation) prices during the period.
All this was based on a comparison of average state fuel prices and obesity trends from a 2 decade govt. survery from the mid 1980s to the mid 2000s.
"If the price of gas rises, people drive less he says. Some of the alternatives? Walking or bicycling. Public transportation uses also increases the need to walk.
People will be less apt to eat out at restaurants, which are notorious for being unhealthy. Instead they stay home and cook, saving the extra gas and food costs.
By no means did he insinuate that we should raise gas prices to curb obesity.
He did come to the conclusion that the $1 increase would save up to 16,000 lives and $17 billion a year.
Interesting.
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