In varied problems that afflict Americans today, the basic facts are beyond dispute. Between 1980 and 2000, for example, obesity rates doubled among adults. About 60 million adults, or 30% of the adult population, are now obese. Similarly, since 1980, the number of overweight children has doubled; among adolescents, the rate has tripled. Thus, the exposure to the health risks of obesity has increased for the past thirty years. Even a cursory investigation uncovers dire consequences of these trends, the upshot of which is that the current generation is likely to experience a drop in life expectancy, not to mention any more general fulfillment of 'the pursuit of happiness,' that is the purported birthright of Americans.
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