Obesity ruining your health - and your MPG

Carmakers' efforts to make new cars more fuel efficient by slashing the weight of vehicles is being impeded, thanks to motorists' increasing waistlines.

Obesity is attributed to a number of health conditions including increased risk of type-2 diabetes, cancer and heart and liver disease but its latest liability is an increase in fuel consumption. According to reports in the Daily Mail, up to 2% of fuel economy is lost per additional 100lbs (45 kg). They claim that this equates to an additional 39 million gallons of fuel be used every year per pound.