High Gas Prices Could Mean A Slimmer You
As rising gasoline prices are forcing many Americans to tighten their financial belts, it may lead to them tightening the belts around their waist.
"An additional $1 in real gasoline prices would reduce obesity in the U.S. by 15 percent after three years," said Charles Courtemanche, an economics researcher at Washington University in St. Louis. "In fact, about 13 percent of the rise in obesity between 1979 and 2004 can be attributed to falling real gas prices during the period."
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According to Courtemanche's analysis, the reduction in obesity caused by a $1 increase in gasoline prices would save 16,000 lives and $17 billion a year.
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