Study: Overweight drivers, passengers use more gasoline
A new study says an extra 1 billion gallons of gasoline is burned each year because of overweight drivers and vehicle passengers. The mathematical model tied together federal data on fuel consumption and weight gain among Americans from 1960 to 2002. A University of Illinois professor who headed the study quipped: "I had no idea the numbers would be this big."The study says 1.7 million cars could be filled with gas for a year if vehicle occupants would slim down. Factors that were eliminated in the study included cargo weight and poor vehicle maintenance that reduced fuel economy. The survey is a reminder that the average American now weighs 24 more pounds than in 1960.
I wonder if the study address vehicle selection, or if it's based just on lost fuel economy due to a heavier load. Wouldn't larger consumers favor gas-guzzling fullsize SUVs for more comfort? If more people were thinner, would they be buying compact and mid-sized cars instead of big trucks? Can anyone from Toyota marketing clue us in on the waistline psychographics of Prius consumers?
[Source: Jon Hilkevitch/Chicago Tribune]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Peter 1:28PM (10/25/2006)
24 pounds is less than 1% of the 4000 pounds that the average modern passenger vehicle weighs. The weight needs to be removed from the vehicle, not the occupants.
Now, if the heavier occupants are seeking out larger (heavier) cars, it could be an issue. But I believe most of the drive towards larger cars comes from a psychological need for space and perceived safety, not from the need for a vehicle physically big enough to fit the occupants inside. Very few people are so overweight that they literally could not fit in a Civic or Golf.
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Bingo 2:25PM (10/25/2006)
You are correct Peter, make the cars lighter, stronger, and more fuel efficient.
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Griffin 3:33PM (10/25/2006)
No, we should be like ethiopians.
Fuck off talibans of ecologism and bring it guys
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loikll 6:10PM (10/25/2006)
This is freaking ridiculous, these lame Illinois perfessers really need something better to do with their time.
Geez, let's just remove everyone's pituitary glands when they're still 4-foot tall kids and stunt their growth; maybe then we can stop importing oil from Saudi Arabia altogether!
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doh 6:49PM (10/25/2006)
The weight needs to be removed from the vehicle and the occupants. One way to reduce the weight of the occupants is to not plop their fat asses in a car every time they need to go somewhere.
That's a good point, bigger people do not fit in smaller cars.
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Schneegz 8:54AM (10/26/2006)
You mean moving greater weight requires greater energy?
Thank you, Captain Obvious!
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Tom 1:15PM (10/26/2006)
The "PROFESSORS" are saying lose the spare tire around your midsection to save some gas. Honestly, you can save a lot more gas by accelerating a little softer. But, I am still perplexed how people cannot do something as simple as maintaining their optimal weight. If you're too fat, eat less or exert more energy through exercise, etc. With all the knowledge, technology, access to whatever food you want, access to gyms... all these tools and the average American just gets fatter. It makes me sick.
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mike 12:23AM (10/27/2006)
does anyone realize the difference in weight for cars between 1960 and 2002? i could gain a thousand pounds before me + my ford focus weigh as much as any car produced in 1960.
plus modern engines are dramatically more efficient with the fuel they burn and the emissions they create.
i've got an idea, let's concoct a way to blame fat people for all the trouble in the world...
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julie 10:34PM (4/11/2007)
Lets pass the buck to the easiest target.Our current situation is not due to dependency on foriegn oil. Oh no what was I thinking.
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