Starling Fitness: Daily writings on Fitness, Diet, and Health

I’ve held some strange nationalistic pride in what I considered the ever-growing life expectancy of Americans. Ever since I was a child, I have been told that because I live in America, I will live longer. Because they invented antibiotics, I will live longer. Because our medical care is the best in the world, the life expectancy of all Americans is higher. That may no longer be the case.

• Reuters – Obesity Threatens to Cut U.S. Life Expectancy – by Greg Frost

This article talks about the Social Security debates that are raging here in the United States. The Social Security officials have based the life expectancy on past performance in the U.S. and expect their citizens to live to their mid-80’s later in this century, but a group of concerned health experts warned them about the obesity epidemic. Considering that 1 in 3 Americans is obese, the life expectancy ages may be lowered for the first time. Just as I felt a nationalistic pride before, I feel a shame now that makes me lower my eyes.