Obesity rates have recently plateaued according to today's newspaper. Let's take a closer peek at this peak. As I've pointed out, the last decade brought us both unprecedentedly cheap eats and related obesity, but the correlation is widely unnoticed or ignored. Everyone in a capitalist economy knows the relationship between price and consumption, oil being a good example.
Health officials are taking credit for this rontundos reversalus, believing their nutrition labeling, public educational programs, and removing junk food from public schools are the reason. But that's like conservationists crediting themselves for motivating the public to buy more fuel efficient vehicles when gas reaches $4.00 per gallon.
Consumption is limited only by the ability to pay, the cheaper (thus more plentiful) a commodity, the more likely it will be over-consumed as with the "all your can eat" buffet vs. the al a carte menu. So all you public health professionals, don't give yourself too much credit. The invisible hand that once overfed us, now moderates our consumption.
Published in the Desert Sun, 6 June, 2008
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