In fact, according to one study, voters in certain cases can prefer obese to non-obese candidates.

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The arteries of obese children were found to be much stiffer and more damaged than those of their non-obese counterparts.

BBC: Heart symptoms in obese children

It would also disproportionately impact lower-income Americans, while in addition punishing the non-obese who choose a soda or sports drink as part of their diet.

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Peeters found a six years reduction in life expectancy at age forty for obese men, and seven years for obese women, compared to non-obese people.

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And corporations are shying away from asking obese employees to carry some of the burden of their health coverage, even though they incur much higher costs than non-obese employees.

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The study, carried out by Dr Patrick Tounian, from the Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition at the Armand-Trousseau Hospital in Paris, compared the arteries of 48 obese children against those of 27 non-obese youngsters.

BBC: Heart symptoms in obese children

Findings revealed that business travellers who are away from home between one and six nights per month are healthier and less likely to be obese than non-travellers.

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In elementary school, obese students are 63% more likely to be bullied than their non-overweight peers, according to a 2012 report from the Rudd Center.

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