Obese people have higher risks for diabetes, heart disease,
arthritis—and injuries in car accidents? Yes, in part because
they’re far less likely to wear a seat belt. That’s the finding
of a study out of the University of Buffalo that will be
presented at an upcoming meeting of the Society for Academic
Emergency Medicine in Chicago. The researchers analyzed data in
the national Fatality Analysis Reporting System of the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The study included a
third-of-a-million drivers involved in fatal crashes. Two years
ago, the research group found that morbidly obese people were 56
percent more likely to die in a car crash than normal-weight car
occupants. The new study revealed that drivers of normal weight
are 67 percent more likely to wear a seat belt than are obese
drivers—which could account for at least part of the increased
death risk. The researchers hypothesize that overweight people
find belts uncomfortable and difficult to buckle. A weight-loss
program can address th