One would think that the crushing obesity epidemic would cause a decrease in life expectency in the United States, right? Well, it turns out that is wrong. Wow.

The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics group released the report for the year ending 2006. The report is interesting for the fact that all major causes of death decreased. This includes the sinister diabetes, which is attributed to an increase in obesity. Diabetes dropped from the sixth leading cause of death to seventh. Alzheimer’s moved up to sixth place. 

These were the top ten causes of death in the United States:

1. Diseases of heart
2. Malignant neoplasms - Cancers
3. Cerebrovascular diseases - Strokes
4. Chronic lower respiratory diseases - emphysema
5. Accidents (unintentional injuries)
6. Alzheimer’s disease
7. Diabetes mellitus - Type 2 Diabates
8. Influenza and pneumonia
9. Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis - Kidney problems and diseases
10. Septicemia - Blood infections

The entire document doesn't mention the words obesity or obese. 

We still have work to do in life expectancy, especially when it comes to infant mortality, but the trend is going up. Perhaps medial studies can revolve around fitness as opposed to absolute weight. 

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