'Supersize it': seats widen to accommodate Brazil's growing obese population
鈥� A version of this post ran on the author's blog, . The views expressed are the author's own.
, with over half of the population now overweight and around 15 percent considered obese . With a growing public health crisis, what was the legislative response? Well, for one, to make bigger seats.
[To see how other Latin American countries are dealing with obesity, check out 海角大神's recent focus package with stories here, here, and here.]
One of the places this trend began was in Rio Grande do Sul in 2005, when the state requiring adequate space on public transportation for the obese. S茫o Paulo state followed suit with , passed back in 2006. The law reserves plus-sized seats for the obese on public transportation, as well as cinemas, movie theaters, and concert venues. The S茫o Paulo city metro started installing these seats in , with of regular seats.
Similar laws were passed in the state of Rio de Janeiro. passed in 2007 requires hospitals, clinics, and medical labs to have adequate equipment for the obese. Passed in 2010, requires schools and classrooms for any type of course to have adequate seating for the obese.
Other and cities also followed suit. A bill introduced in Cuiab谩 in 2009 called for a for the obese at banks, and a state in Mato Grosso do Sul set aside space for the obese on intercity buses (though the law also allows bus companies to charge more for those who take up two seats). State law 14.720 passed in Pernambuco allows the obese to enter public buses without going through the turnstyle, which can be a tight squeeze. Bus companies that refuse to comply face fines of up to R$100,000.
Federal law has similar protections. requires theaters, stadiums, concert venues, and conference halls to have special seats for the obese. Now, already approved by the Senate is under consideration in the House of Representatives, which would for the obese on public transportation nationwide. under consideration in the Senate would combine all locations by setting aside special seating for the obese in centers of entertainment, sports, conferences, classrooms, and public transportation throughout Brazil.
鈥� Rachel Glickhouse听is the author of the blog.
