美国的肥胖经济 The Fattening of America : How The Economy Makes Us Fat, If It Matters

作者： Eric A. Finkelstein, Laurie Zuckerman 著

出 版 社： Oxford University Press USA

出版时间： 2008-1-1字数：版次： 1页数： 274印刷时间： 2008/01/01开本： 16开印次： 1纸张： 胶版纸I S B N ： 9780470124666包装： 精装编辑推荐

作者简介：Eric A. Finkelstein, PhD, MHA, is a nationally acclaimed expert on the subject of economics and obesity. He is a health economist with the research organization RTI International in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and teaches health economics at Duke University. His work focuses on the economic causes and consequences of health-related behaviors, with a primary emphasis on obesity. Finkelstein has published over thirty peer-reviewed articles on the economics of obesity and related behaviors. His research has been featured on the front page of USA Today and has been covered in the Economist, the New York Times, Forbes, the Washington Post, and many other newspaper, radio, and television outlets.

内容简介

In The Fattening of America, renowned health economist Eric Finkelstein, along with business writer Laurie Zuckerman, reveal how the U.S. economy has become the driving force behind our expanding waistlines. Blending theory, research, and engaging personal anecdotes the authors discuss how declining food costs—especially for high-calorie, low-nutrient foods—and an increasing usage of technology, which make Americans more sedentary, has essentially led us to eat more calories than we burn off.

目录

Introduction: Answering the Age-Old Question: Why Is Uncle Al So Fat?

Chapter 1 Craze or Crisis?

So Why Now?

My Soccer Team Eats Oranges

So How about Adults? Are We Gaining, Too?

A Growing Waistline Can Be Bad for Your Health

But Are We the Only Ones Gaining Weight?

The Longer You Stay, the Bigger You Get

Chapter 2 I’ll Take a Deep-Fried Coca-Cola

First Things First

Cheap Food Gets Cheaper

The Rise of French-Fried Potatoes

Please Pass the High-Fructose Corn Syrup

A Full Pound of Sausage, Bacon, and Ham: Have a Meaty Morning

Too Much of a Good Thing

Kids Are Also Drinking the Kool-Aid

When Is Enough Enough?

Chapter 3 Why We’re Moving Less (Hint: It’s Not Just the La-Z-Boy)

But I Don’t Have Time!

Not Quite the Jetsons, But

Just Be a Marathon Runner

We’re Not Farmers Anymore

Sprawling Out

Our Kids Are Also Slowing Down

Wrapping It Up

Chapter 4 So Where Else Can We Lay the Blame?

Blame Mom and Dad

Then Just Blame Mom (You Know You Will Anyway)

Blame the Meds

Blame the Cigs (One More Theory Goes Up in Smoke)

Blame the All-Nighter

Blame the Air Conditioner (Not Cool)

Blame Pollution (It’s a Dirty Business)

Blame That Nasty “Fat Bug”

It’s the Economy, Stupid

Chapter 5 Beware: Moral Hazard

Just Bill My Health Insurance

Is Obesity as Bad as It Used to Be?

Just Take a Pill or Get a Procedure

Chapter 6 So We’re Fat—Who Cares?

Is Uncle Al Overweight?

C’mon Now, We’re Only Utility Maximizing

Now, Let’s Tear This Argument Apart (and Put It Back Together)

So Should Dad (and the Government) Care that Uncle Al Is Obese?

Just Follow the Money

Chapter 7 The Role of Government

Market Failures

Externalities

Market Power

Public Goods

Obesity and National Defense

Imperfect (Asymmetric) Information

Is There a Role for Government?

Chapter 8 Weighing the Public Policy Issues (for Adults)

Equity

Irrationality

Compelling Public Need

Revisiting Past Policy

The Road Ahead

Summing Up

Chapter 9 Weighing the Public Policy Issues (for Kids)

First, a Step Back

Child Abuse?

School-Based Regulations

Your Mouth Will Really Groove

In Closing

Chapter 10 The Employer’s Dilemma

Why Don’t Businesses Invest More in the Health of Their Workforce?

The Dirty Secret about Employee Wellness Programs

So What’s an Employer to Do?

Could These Programs Get Me in Legal Hot Water?

Chapter 11 The ObesEconomy

Just How Big Is the Weight-Loss Industry?

Just Take a Pill

Bigger and Better

Invest in New Technology

In the Name of Progress

Chapter 12 How to Lose Weight Like an Economist

Economic Weight-Loss Techniques

A Few More Secrets to Success

Conclusion

Notes

About the Authors

Index