The report says that obesity has grown by 1.1 percent in this country in the three years from 2007 to 2009, and that the number of states that have an obesity rate of 30 percent or more has tripled in that time period. That’s a problem, sure, but what does it have to do with the auto industry? Consumer Reports cites a study from a nonprofit called Resources for the Future that claims that a 10 percent increase in obese drivers from 1999 to 2005 contributed to a reduction in the average fuel economy of in-demand vehicles by as much as 2.5 percent. While people were piling on the pounds, demand for large vehicles such as trucks and SUVs climbed in unison. Of course, it pays to keep in mind that correlation doesn’t necessarily mean causation.

Even so, it’s no secret that for years manufacturers have custom-tailored the interior of their vehicles to fit American tastes (and waistlines) even while producing a completely different interior for other parts of the world. Whereas European- and Japanese-market cars may be fitted with svelte sports-style seats, American cabins are lined with more accommodating thrones and plenty of cupholders. It’s simply the sad reality that on the global playground, America is the fat kid.

While we have begun to see the beginnings of a trend toward smaller vehicles, chances are we won’t see manufacturers back away from bending to American size any time soon. Consumer Reports even goes so far as to call for larger seat belts for individuals who can’t be restrained by the standard hardware; we think it may be a bit much to build cars for a growing, but still small (no pun intended) fraction of the population.