Gov. Dirk Kempthorne was touting his Medicaid reform initiative to more than 400 folks at the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho conference today over lunch, when he had a few comments about the high health and financial costs of obesity. The average American gained 10 pounds between 1990 and 2000, Kempthorne said. As the diners glanced uncomfortably at each other, thinking back, the governor added that not coincidentally, during that same period, airlines spent $275 million on additional fuel to carry the extra weight. That brought plenty of laughter, which the governor followed up with: “If you haven’t had your dessert yet, go ahead and eat.”
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