From MSNBC:

Americans are living longer than ever before, but they are overweight and physically lazy and spend far more on health care than any other country in the world, the government said on Thursday in its annual review of the nation’s health.

What do you mean "but"?

Americans are living longer than ever precisely because they spend far more on health care. And, since I am overweight and lazy, I devoutly hope that Americans are living longer than ever because they are overweight and physically lazy.

Too much to ask for? Yeah, you're probably right.

The headline to the story says that the gains in life expectancy might be endangered by obesity. What the CDC is reported as actually saying is:

"Death rates for diabetes, along with the number of cases, are climbing, largely the result of a sharp increase in obesity.

As Americans make gains in health areas, they are endangering their health by become overweight and by failing to exercise, the report said. This is especially worrying when it comes to children and teen-agers."

But the "obesity epidemic" has been around for quite some time, and life expectancy is still rising to new records.

I think MSNBC ought to reconsider that headline.