It always makes me sad when I read a news story like this. On one hand, it's good to see they realize a product must change to accomodate the population that will use it. On the other hand, WE ARE THE ONLY COUNTRY that needs to have these changes made. That should tell us something about how we eat. 62% of Americans are considered overweight or obese. That is an astonishing number.

The news story in brief:

Some American car manufacturers have already done it over the years without much hoopla but now the foreign car makers are jumping on the bandwagon.
The industry is once again widening the seats and even the width of the cars themselves to accomodate America's ever-growing girth.

I used to work in the auto industry for Mazda and I am really starting to wonder what foreigners must think of us. Years ago they would actually change the names of some foreign cars being shipped to America because they thought we Americans wouldn't 'get' it. A classic example...remember Datsun? We were the only country that called a Nissan by that name. In every other country around the world they were known as a Nissan. Of course now that has changed. But my point being we must be looked upon as the dumbest and unhealthiest country on the planet.

The car names thing goes both ways - remember what a flop the Chevy Nova was in Mexico?

And as I understand it, the reason Nissan chose to go with Datsun initially (Nissan being Datsun's parent company) was because Nissan had manufactured military equipment in WW2, and it was felt that that would be an issue for some westerners (not just Americans). So in order to distance themselves from the parent brand name, they chose to use a different name.

Heather, I claim you as my partner in Trivia Pursuit!

Seachick.. I dunno what Europeans think.-- some think we are crazy for working as hard and long as we do.. Hopefully in years to come, our eyes will open to living and eating in moderation .. and stop feeding ourselves at McDs, and all those fast food places, and eating highly processed sugar laden foods--- FAST FAST CHEAP CHEAP!. I AM NOT gonna be one of those people that need all that seat room!

GOOD GIRL SCHATZI!

I think it's just awful. Instead of holding people accountable for their own actions, they're accomodating them and rewarding their laziness by widening cars for them.

Think of all the money they're spending widening the cars, and then we'll need wider roads and parking spaces, just because it's more convenient to eat at McDonald's than take 5 minutes to pack a sensible lunch.

The laziness of America really baffles me. America doesn't want to brown bag it. America "can't find time" to work out. I work 5 jobs and I can find time to work out. Sure I'm busy, but if I didn't work out, I'd just be spending that hour sitting at home on the couch, shoving food in my face, so why not do something productive with my spare time and take care of myself?

I'll admit that there was a period of 2 years that I let myself go and was lazy and did nothing but eat and drink whatever I wanted whenever I wanted, and I didn't work out. I gained 37 lbs in 2 years. I'm not blameless. That's why I'm where I'm at now. But I'm one who's proven that it's not impossible to get back on track. I've lost 17 of those 37 because I decided that I'm not going to be lazy anymore.

I understand that there are people with medical conditions that inable them to lose weight or force them to gain weight, but that's not 62% of America. One out of every 4000 people has hypothyroidism. That comes to 0.00025, or 0.025%.

My husband is obese according to his BMI. He's obese because he wants to eat whatever he wants, whenever he wants, and he doesn't want to have to work out. (He's working on it, though. I have to give him props for joining the Y and eating right the last 10 days. He's just whiney about it.)

Does anyone else see where I'm coming from? Or do you all think I'm nuts?

WE're not really encouraged to be healthy
do you know how many times I've been out picking a healthy food item Veggie platter whatever and someone of varyign sizes says I don't believe in diets they're a crock then they try to get you to eat Sh!t one of my best friends whos mom is a dietician does this!
Slothy people want other people to sloth with them so they can justify it

I agree with you KO. My husband does it all the time. He'll cheat and then he'll want me to cheat with him. I don't know if it makes him feel better if I'm being a pig too, or why he does it.

But whether we're encouraged to or not, we need to take care of ourselves. It's time to stop being sheep and following the herd right off a cliff, you know?

Next time your friend says something about what you're eating, tell her that you've chosen a healthy lifestyle and if she doesn't like it, it's none of her business. I just roar on my husband, but you can be nice with your friend.

I agree....And the worst is when people give my kids junk to eat or comment on me not letting then sit around and eat chocolate or whatever......I want my kids to be healthy. I don't want them to have to fight the battles with weight that I have had to fight. One of my kids has metobolism like her Dad..she can eat anyting she wants and never gain weight, the other child is like me..I have to watch everything he puts in his mouth and he is still chunky!!! A lot of it is in your genes and it seems that those fat genes are a lot more prominent these days.

that's what I do but I don't even bother with discussing the healthy lifestyle b/c that only illicits the eye roll I sip my Tea and I'm good

Kyemom - I agree with you. I don't have kids yet, but I know what a difference it makes. My brother and I, growing up, always had healthy snacks: celery with peanutbutter, a sliced apple, carrot sticks, etc. My husband was allowed to eat whatever he wanted because his mom has just as poor eating habits. My brother and I would get sent outside to ride bikes or play baseball in the back yard. We were involved in sports. My husband sat around inside and plays video games (geez, nothing's changed!) My brother and I were stick-thin when we were kids, and Terry was severely obese, way worse than he is now.

I'm secretary for a grade school, and the old secretary always had candy and suckers for the kids. I don't, and when people ask why, I tell them: if someone gave my kid candy without my permission, I'd be royally ticked. It's not my job to rot their children's teeth and load them full of sugar. I'm here for the good of the kids, and even though the kids think all that sugar is good, I know better.