A study, carried out by a trio of researchers within the Centre for Obesity Research and Epidemiology (CORE) at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen suggests that if every obese and overweight person in the world lost 1.58 stone, the resulting drop in greenhouse emissions would be the equivalent of 0.2% of the CO2 emitted globally in 2007 (49.560Mt).
The calculation were based on a previous weight loss study that investigated the effects of a low-carbohydrate diet on body weight, body composition and resting metabolic rate of obese volunteers with type 2 diabetes.
Dr Catherine Rolland was one of the lead researchers on the study. She explains: "This decrease can be explained by the principles of respiration - the process by which organisms breathe in oxygen, which is then converted to CO(2) and then exhaled.
"CO(2) production is proportionate to body mass and heavier individuals naturally produce more than those of a healthier weight. The global obesity epidemic, therefore, has resulted in humans producing a higher volume of a major greenhouse gas."
What more motivation do we need knowing, that if we all aim to become stick-thin, we will be saving the planet. Surprisingly the eco-fanatics haven't leapt upon this valuable piece of research as yet, but they will.
Mentioning this to a comfily built friend the other day, the reply was, "I'll stop eating cabbage and that'll be my contribution. Never liked it anyway." A trite response you may think but the man is a retired osteologist so he's sure to know a thing or two about human emissions.
Is it fanciful to foresee a new quango springing into the fake charity box in order to add more pressure upon the obese? Anyone seriously overweight knows the risks involved but I doubt if many will be inspired to change their eating habits by being told they can save the world. That's probably the least of their concerns.
No doubt the gut man will correct me if I'm wrong.
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Well, hallelujah, now at last we know how to solve global warming.
So all along it has been the obese, who breathe in far too much air and breathe out far too much CO2
And, incidentally, had you noticed that everyone who breathes eventually dies, therefore breathing must be the major cause of death.
Eureka! – Breathing is the problem!
Therefore the solution, is a simple one – We all stop breathing.
John, I think you should write a paper immediately and send it to the Lancet or some suitable publication.
Those of generous proportions act as a larger Carbon Bank.
Those of generous proportions in colder climates are better insulated, so require less heating.
Those fitness fanatics & joggers who take rigorous daily exercise significantly increase their metabolic rate & so exhale more CO2.
Obese people tend to have a shorter lifespan, so create less CO2 during their lifetime.
Has Dr Rolland taken those facts into consideration?
All this research does, is prove conclusively that some Educational Establishments can have significant budget cuts without affecting mankind's overall knowledge.
Joe mentioned the obvious flaw in the eco fruit n nut case. Fat folk die young so will actually help save the planet. Oh and they tend not to go out so much as it's all a bit of an effort so they don't use so many fossil fuels.
It's possible to have some fun with the ecowackery. I like to ask for an eco rating review when I'm looking at mobile phones etc. You can tie the drones in knots over that. And then walk away saying that the planet is too precious to buy a blackberry on 2/5 in the eco rating chart.
When I was a young nipper I thought that obese people had been awarded OBEs. It's an ugly word yet even the politically correct cast it around with abandon, heedless of the hurt it causes people who carry a few extra pounds. If not for metabolic reasons, being overwieght is a lifestyle choice that others should respect. The Establishment didn't castigate gays for unprotected promiscuity causing HIV/Aids; it throws £billions at smokers to get them to cease and alkies and druggies get massive support from the State. Yet fat people are the only section of the population against whom discrimination and loathing is positively encouraged as a matter of policy.
Heedful of this, I am struggling to lose enough weight to slip into the BMI pigeon hole to avoid priggish health authorities refusing me medical treatment as if I was an "uneconomic to repair geriatric" (another section of the population unvaled by the Establishment because of perceived inconvenience).
Hello there:
I wonder how many stone these researchers gained eating and drinking on the taxpayers tab.
Take care,
Mike
Is the density of the obese in certain parts of the planet tilting the Earth on its axis? A better plan would be to relocate most of the obese to areas of low obesity to try and correct it. Well, its as good as any other theory.
@ Demetrius:
While we are at it why not take away their dairy products and beans so they don't fart so much and deplete our ozone layer. Hell, the cows have taken enough heat so far, lets point the finger at fat people. :D
Mike
@ Demetrius
Maybe the density of the obese on certain parts of the coast is compressing the ground, and giving the illusion of rising sea level?
@ Joe Public:
You are probably on your way to a Noble prize with that theory. Proably as well grounded as many scientific principles. No pun intended. :D
Takje care,
Mike
Well, I'm not much for political correctness. A spade is a spade. And fat is fat.
So, I would have thought it the last thing that an “obese” person would be worrying about is global warming.
One fat mate of mine has recently been diagnosed diabetic, and a fat friend of my mothers had a stroke last week. In both cases they had been advised to lose weight. But they didn't.
Now I know that some fat people are fat because they are ill, or have hormonal imbalance, but some (including the aforementioned two) are just greedy.
I don't think loathing of fat people is encouraged, and for a while the government spent a lot of money through New Deal trying to get morbidly obese people slimmed down enough for employers to consider them not to be health risks. You have to remember that smokers pay for the health risk that they create, many many times over. (If people all stopped smoking they’d have to put other taxes up by a frightening amount.) Likewise all the drunks you see falling out of pubs and vomiting, urinating and causing mayhem are paying much more than they cost the state in medical and policing costs.
There is no tax on obesity, even if the cost of treating it is high.
Tris..
"There is no tax on obesity"
I dunno. Have you seen the price of pies and bridies these days ?
A few days ago, I took their figures and showed that a) fit, 'healthy' sportsmen expend far more energy, and produce far more CO2 than fat people, and b) that fat people store carbon just like trees do, and if you want to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere you should encourage fat people (and everybody else) to put on more weight.
Another study shows that dogs are more able to absorb images from digital TV (rather then the pevious analogue signals) so earth lovers beware and make sure you dog does not become a telly addict, sitting around farting all day.
"Surprisingly the eco-fanatics haven't leapt upon this valuable piece of research as yet..."
No they'll choose to ignore it because, to follow the logic, saving the planet would necessitate the culling of the Elephants and Whales.
That, and the entire thing is hogwash.
I'm not sure Joe and to be honest I'm not going to spend the time emailing Dr Rolland to find out the details of her study. :)
It is possible RM but it's expensive fun. I'd rather have the money in my pocket.
It is a horrible word and even worse is morbidly obese Brian. Most folk know that being too overweight is bad for them.
It's not easy to lose weight when we're older so I understand. Good luck, keep at it. Since I had to give up swimming I've put on a bit that I don't want.
Hello Stranger, most of this type of research is funded by us. I very much doubt if it was privately sponsored.
It is indeed Demetrius.
Are you supporting smokers Tris? :)
Obesity is an unfortunate result of our greedy society Tris and one which, I agree, could easily be brought under control if people had some self respect.
When I was wee there were few fat children around (ask your Mum). Nowadays I see at least a few a day, some munching their way round Tesco with a parent.
Ah, it was at your place I read that Frank. I was looking for it to link to but couldn't remember where it was.
When I had my wee dog banned, the vet said more than 50% of the dogs brought it were overweight. The leanest belonged to the farming community - working dogs I suppose.
Oh right enough John P. Hogwash is such a polite word. :)
I've taken careful observations and I've noticed something that may be of no surprise to anyone...
The lighter you are, the easier you move... The fatter you are, the more likely you'll get in a car, just to go 5 BLOCKS to get a few groceries... Granted, fat people farts don't help, our main problem is the obese and their reliance on vehicles...
- - Luigi Destraci
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