According to a new study published by researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, a population of obese people can contribute to more harmful gases in Earth's atmosphere than a population of thinner people. Transportation of food and its production are the main factors.
It requires more energy to move heavier people, and transportation of heavier people requires more fuel. This increase in fuel use creates more greenhouse gas emissions.
Using statistical models, the scientists compared the distribution of Body Mass Index (BMI) in the United Kingdom in the 1970s when 3.5 percent of the population was obese, with a prediction for the country's BMI distribution in 2010, reflecting 40 percent obesity.
"In terms of environmental impact, the lean population has a much smaller carbon footprint," said Phil Edwards, senior lecturer at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
The population with 40 percent obese people requires 19 percent more food energy for its total energy expenditure than the population with 3.5 percent obese people, the study showed.
This 19 percent increase in food consumption correlates to an increase of 270 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the study.
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