The last time I flew in a commercial jet smoking was legal. In fact, it was so legal that I had to swap seats from time to time with my brother-in-law because there weren't enough smoking seats available.

Now the government says the "obesity epidemic" is causing more fuel to be burned by airlines because we all gained 10 pounds during the 1990s: "America’s growing waistlines are hurting the bottom lines of airline companies as the extra pounds on passengers are causing a drag on planes. Heavier fliers have created heftier fuel costs, according to the government study."

Are we all fatter or is it just a different clientelle flying nowadays?

There's a show on A&E called Airline or something like that. I watched it a couple of times. The first thing I noticed was that the people flying today were not the same people that were flying back when I flew in the 70s and 80s. They appeared less affluent than in the "old days" when I flew. So when I read that airlplanes are consuming more fuel because of fat people I first thought that sure that's possible, but not necessarily because of any obesity epidemic.

Air travel is cheaper than in the "old days." People of less affluence can now afford to fly. These people also tend to be heavier than more affluent people. So that could be part of the weight problem with nothing to do with any obesity epidemic.

Then there's also the smoking ban on flights. When smoking was banned I banned flying as a means of transportation for myself. While there may not be too many smokers like me, the fact is smokers weigh less, on average, than nonsmokers. And with a continuously growing population, my seat was probably filled, and by a nonsmoker. There are also less smokers today, percentage wise than before. Nonsmokers not only weigh more than smokers, but so do former smokers and there are no doubt more former smokers flying today.

Then there's also our growing aging population. For decades they've said that as people age they put on weight. This was actually accepted as a normal thing associated with aging. So there's another possibility.

All in all, while the government may be blaming the "obesity epidemic" for more fuel being burned, I think that's quite a simplistic attitude to take. Poor fat people, who used to not fly. Former smokers who have now gained weight to match their never-smoking counterparts. A larger older generation flying. Smokers who have decided that driving their own vehicle beats the hell out of being told what they can and can't do. This could have nothing to do with the "obesity epidemic."

You had baby boomers, which were the largest segment of the population reaching middle age in mass during the 90's ... folk's have always tended to put on a few pounds when reaching this age group. Many of the trends are just following the aging of baby boomers.