RIP Mittens? Obesity May Threaten Mitten Industry
If Americans keep getting fatter, there will be no need for mittens in the future.
That's what the results of a new federal study suggest; that as the obesity epidemic continues, the need for mittens will decrease to a point where the industry's survival is in question.
Here's why:
A team of researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health found that overweight people tend to generate more heat than those who are lean, but that they weren't holding on to any more heat than their lean counterparts. Instead, they were releasing the extra body heat through their extremities, making the hand temperature of obese participants hotter than those of normal-weight volunteers.
So with hot hands, who needs mittens?
"If that's the case, people could go without gloves and just stick their hands in their pockets," Carol Burdge, executive director of the International Glove Association, told TheStar.com. "You could use your hands like thermometers."
During the past 20 years, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity throughout the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The American Association of Obesity reports that approximately 127 million adults in the U.S. are overweight, 60 million obese, and 9 million severely obese, and the numbers are expected to climb. Get them while they last: Shop Mittens
That's what the results of a new federal study suggest; that as the obesity epidemic continues, the need for mittens will decrease to a point where the industry's survival is in question.
Here's why:
A team of researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health found that overweight people tend to generate more heat than those who are lean, but that they weren't holding on to any more heat than their lean counterparts. Instead, they were releasing the extra body heat through their extremities, making the hand temperature of obese participants hotter than those of normal-weight volunteers.
So with hot hands, who needs mittens?
"If that's the case, people could go without gloves and just stick their hands in their pockets," Carol Burdge, executive director of the International Glove Association, told TheStar.com. "You could use your hands like thermometers."
During the past 20 years, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity throughout the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The American Association of Obesity reports that approximately 127 million adults in the U.S. are overweight, 60 million obese, and 9 million severely obese, and the numbers are expected to climb. Get them while they last: Shop Mittens
Comments page 1 of 6
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Crocks said 10-09-2009 @5:13PM
This is unbelievable!!!
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Barbara said 10-11-2009 @2:05PM
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KP said 10-18-2009 @7:54PM
Unbelievable? Not really. I'm a little overweight too and I don't even wear clothes anymore. I just go naked everywhere.......watch out underwear industry, shirt industry, pants industry, socks industry, etc........I'm on fire!!!!
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Karen Anne said 10-11-2009 @3:53PM
And EXTREMELY STUPID! Who comes up with these moronic studies?
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Tia said 10-11-2009 @6:16PM
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Renee said 10-11-2009 @7:15PM
Probably millions of our tax dollars paid for some grant to do this study!
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The Villain said 10-11-2009 @8:57PM
Wow, I clicked on this story because I couldn't believe the headline. This has got to be the most idiotic thing I've read. And to think someone got paid to find this out!!!
I could've told them the obese don't need f*****g mittens because they don't leave their f*****g homes, because they don't fit through the f*****g door!!! Now how much do I get paid for relaying this very important information?
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Lynn said 10-22-2009 @1:19PM
Just another thing to blame on fat people! It must be your fault your fat!
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k said 10-23-2009 @11:01PM
Also who paid for this ridiculous study - more pork
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rj said 10-11-2009 @2:16PM
i am tired of everyone blaming obesity on everything. Do you think people arent buying mittens because hmmmmm the weather doesnt seem as cold as it use to be or that we quickly get into heated vehicles. Its not like we have to go on horse and buggy in -40 below for hundreds of miles. Drop the obesity issue-its old!
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Kelly said 10-11-2009 @6:15PM
I agree -- while being overweight is not healthy, everything gets blamed on it. If we follow the line of logic here - global warming can be blamed on overweight people! There, now I've said it -- if we all drown in the melted polar ice caps, it was because of all the fat people in the world.
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Shelly said 10-11-2009 @7:43PM
I AGREE, people need to get over themselves & stop talking about OBESITY !!!! We are normal funloving people,that like and need the same things as skinny people do, just BIGGER!!!!!!!
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Lissy said 10-11-2009 @2:23PM
Ok the only reason why I am even responding to this ridiculous article...because it is ridiculous.
replyI am surprised they pay people to make those types of research studies...its stupid and full of crap. You are comparing obesity to mittens. If someone is cold they will wear gloves/mittens. Kids wear mittens...teens wear mittens...people in their 20's wear mittens becuase its stylish...people in their 30's, 40's and 50's, etc.. wear mittens because it was given to them as a gift. Obesity has nothing to do with wearing mittens. These researchers need this to justify their existence in their companies. Get over it. I am overweight and I wear gloves....because I like gloves or mittens and because its cold. STOP the insane statistics...and do some real work
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Lissy said 10-11-2009 @2:25PM
Amen to that!!! It is simply ridiculous.
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Stacey said 10-11-2009 @2:36PM
This is pure crap. I don't consider myself obese, but I am overweight, and I freeze every winter. My hands and feet are cold as ice when I'm someplace cold. The only time I feel warm is under my blankets or out in the sun during the summer. These studies are becoming more and more ridiculous. They need to stop wasting their time on this crap, and start using their time to study more important things that can be helpful to society.
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toni said 10-11-2009 @4:13PM
You are correct Stacey. What they fail to take into account is that people who are overweight often have poor circulation as well so they do tend to have cold hands and feet. Maybe people just don't like mittens anymore and prefer gloves? I know I do. Granted mittens can be warmer but they're awkward and it's hard to do simple tasks while wearing them.
If this article were correct in it's statement that obesity was killing the mitten industry then the glove industry would be suffering too and they make no mention of that. It's just plain bunk.
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Robert said 10-11-2009 @6:09PM
Your feet/ hands will feel cold to you because you are losing heat through them. They will feel warm to others. This means that you should wear mittens/ gloves to prevent excess heat loss leading to hypothermia.
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Andrea said 10-11-2009 @6:21PM
Good grief, who is buying this bull. Protect your hands at all costs, especially in the colder weather. As a formerly obese person, I can attest that one needs gloves or mittens whether fat or thin.
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Squiggles said 10-11-2009 @2:53PM
Sure...when there's a ton of snow on my car, I'll just use my hands to deice it, because at my weight I'm on fire!
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Stephanie said 10-11-2009 @2:54PM
Give me a break! I have been almost 90 pounds overweight for years and since it just turned pretty cold in my neck od the woods, I can attest that my poor, little mittenless hands told me in no uncertain terms that I was to drag out my mittens. My hands were like ice! This is such a crock.
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