Commuting To Work Is As Bad For You As Junk Food

Traffic on 380 or 218 or 63 or 20 isn’t just frustrating; it turns out it can also be fattening. According to a new study, the sound of all those cars could me making you fat.

You’re 25% more likely to be overweight if you regularly drive in light traffic above 45 decibels. In case you were wondering, 45 decibels is equivalent to the sound of a bird chirping.

The noise from that traffic stresses you out and makes you produce cortisol, which makes you gain weight. And, if you drive in heavy traffic, it can make your waistline a half-an-inch bigger. And while they didn't come out and say it, if you're eating on the go.....that surely can't help things either.

I need to clarify this, the study is referring to natural traffic sounds, as in the rumbling of engines and tires. It does NOT include any music listening. Music is good for you, and allows you to dance in your seat and burn off calories. DO NOT turn Q92.3 off while driving thinking you will lose weight! Puppies and kittens die whenever a listener turns Q92.3 off.

But that's not all.

Also, among folks who drive 16-plus miles to earn a paycheck, the prevalence of obesity is almost 9 percent higher while the rate of fitness is nearly 9 percent lower versus those who journey six to 10 miles.

This basically means that the more time you spend sitting in the car in traffic the less time you'd have to exercise -- this is of course assuming you'd be exercising with that extra time instead of parking your fanny in a cubicle or office (my preferred post-commute activity)