Can't we cut the drive thru at the same time we cut our driving?

Consumers cut driving but not diets: poll | Reuters :

Nearly half of respondents to a Reuters/Zogby poll of likely voters in the presidential election later this year said they are driving less to compensate for record U.S. gasoline prices, which hit a record average of $3.80 per gallon on Tuesday according to travel club AAA.

But only about 8 percent of the 1076 respondents in the national poll said they were eating less generally to cope with rising food prices, the poll said.

If financial hardship (pay now) can't stem the eating tide, I wonder if eventual health hardship (pay later) has even a slim chance of curbing our appetites. My guess is that the Slim chance we have of Americans slimming themselves is more likely a Zero chance. At least if we continue to do things the same way we are now.

According to the CDC,

In 1990, among states participating in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 10 states had a prevalence of obesity less than 10% and no states had prevalence equal to or greater than 15%.

By 1998, no state had prevalence less than 10%, seven states had a prevalence of obesity between 20-24%, and no state had prevalence equal to or greater than 25%.

In 2006, only four states had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%. Twenty-two states had a prevalence equal or greater than 25%; Two of these states (Mississippi and West Virginia) had a prevalence of obesity equal to or greater than 30%.

One problem of course is that whole foods are more expensive than processed foods that seem to be at the heart of our western diet and the obesity issue in general. Big Ag, of course, is one big tractor to be turned in a new direction. Even so, we can't afford -- now or later -- to wait to start wresting some control of the steering wheel.