I could just present you with this list, showing accidental deaths surpassing diabetes as a leading cause of death in the US. But I wouldn't do that to you. Because the truth behind the chart is that motor vehicle accidents account for 46,000 of the accidental deaths, so diabetes still wins at 71,000 (Congratulations, Insulin Resistance!).
I might show you this chart, in which diabetes doesn't even rank globally, while RTI's are climbing quickly. But you could claim the deaths due to ischemic heart disease are likely being contributed to by diabetes.
....At which point I'll claim both for cars! I WIN!
How'd I do that?
Research.
We're all pretty aware at this point that diabetes is part of metabolic syndrome, yes? And a major risk factor for metabolic syndrome is what now? Obesity! And taking public transit is associated with walking 8.3 more minutes per day on average, or an additional 25.7–39.0 kcal. Hill, et al, estimate that an increase in net expenditure of 100 kcal/day can stop the increase in obesity in 90% of the population. Additional walking associated with public transit could save $5500 per person in present value by reducing obesity-related medical costs.
But there's more: Each additional hour spent in a car per day was associated with a 6% increase in the likelihood of obesity. Conversely, each additional kilometer walked per day was associated with a 4.8% reduction in the likelihood of obesity. As a continuous measure, BMI was significantly associated with urban form for white cohorts. Relationships among urban form, walk distance, and time in a car were stronger among white than black cohorts.
If that's not enough motivation to get out of your car and walk a little, maybe this will be: a recent study conducted at the University at Buffalo and Erie County Medical Center showed that drivers who are moderately obese have a 21% increased risk of death in a crash. Worse yet, the morbidly obese have a 56% increased risk of not surviving a crash. To account for this, they're proposing changes to the build of crash test dummies.
For heaven's sake all the time we're spending in cars is making the crash test dummies get fatter!
And just to prove RTIs are worse than diabetes without any Jedi mind tricks: 843 disability adjusted life years lost for diabetes, 1081 for RTIs. That is, RTIs are robbing us of more healthy, productive life years than diabetes, even as we think they are helping us by getting us there faster or more. I might show you this chart, in which diabetes doesn't even rank globally, while RTI's are climbing quickly. But you could claim the deaths due to ischemic heart disease are likely being contributed to by diabetes.
....At which point I'll claim both for cars! I WIN!
How'd I do that?
Research.
We're all pretty aware at this point that diabetes is part of metabolic syndrome, yes? And a major risk factor for metabolic syndrome is what now? Obesity! And taking public transit is associated with walking 8.3 more minutes per day on average, or an additional 25.7–39.0 kcal. Hill, et al, estimate that an increase in net expenditure of 100 kcal/day can stop the increase in obesity in 90% of the population. Additional walking associated with public transit could save $5500 per person in present value by reducing obesity-related medical costs.
But there's more: Each additional hour spent in a car per day was associated with a 6% increase in the likelihood of obesity. Conversely, each additional kilometer walked per day was associated with a 4.8% reduction in the likelihood of obesity. As a continuous measure, BMI was significantly associated with urban form for white cohorts. Relationships among urban form, walk distance, and time in a car were stronger among white than black cohorts.
If that's not enough motivation to get out of your car and walk a little, maybe this will be: a recent study conducted at the University at Buffalo and Erie County Medical Center showed that drivers who are moderately obese have a 21% increased risk of death in a crash. Worse yet, the morbidly obese have a 56% increased risk of not surviving a crash. To account for this, they're proposing changes to the build of crash test dummies.
For heaven's sake all the time we're spending in cars is making the crash test dummies get fatter!
Congratulations, cars....?
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