Obesity linked to poverty

rosecarmel

People aren't born into obesity- They're born into poverty and all the conditions that impoverished families are faced with- Some are born into wealth and excess, some middle class-

The challenges that those born into poverty face are vast- Personal safety, (e.g. unsafe neighborhoods / police) the cost of limited, public transportation and limited part time employment availability in the areas the public transport serves- Part time employment doesn't provide health benefits, full time positions that do are in short supply- Even impoverished families are denied federal and state healthcare benefits because the financial poverty level amount is set so low making it next to impossible to qualify-
A large percentage of people have work more than one part time job to get by, and rely on public transport to get back and forth to each job, stopping somewhere along the way to get food that can't be too perishable or take a long time to prepare unless they don't mind eating at midnight- It cost money to prepare food, gas and electric aren't free- Neither is the water to wash dishes with or flushing the toilet- There are school supplies and uniforms to be purchased- Laundry, also not free- The stress level of impoverished people is high- Poor 1975 is worlds away from poor 2020-

An excellent post.

The poor have very little choice in their lives, but one thing they do have access to is cheap fat laden “tasty” fast food. And this is one of the very few treats available to them.

People aren't obese because they eat the wrong kind of food (though that may affect their health in other ways); they are obese because they eat too much food.

Farmor15

Referring back to OP, I’ve noticed that when archive TV clips from 60s/70s are shown, young adults look almost emaciated compared with today. We’ve got so used to everyone being a bit bigger, it’s become normal.

I agree. Watching ‘Sounds of the 60’s/70’s’, the boys in the groups are in the main very skinny, with tiny bums and torsos.

Of course, some of them were only teenagers or in their early 20’s, and probably existed on cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana.

Don’t suppose they left the Top of the Pops studio and cooked a meal from scratch.

?

The word greed comes to mind here. You never hear the word anymore. Both well off and poor people have access to fatty sugary food which can become an addiction just as much as alcohol. We had proper food and plenty of it in the 50s and 60s and I was always overweight as was all my family. Lack of excersise didn't help as I was not allowed to play out being an only child. So those days did not produce healthier children there were many cases of rickets etc.
We can all choose how we eat nowadays there is more choice than ever. It's willpower we lack. I consider myself greedy and overweight like many others

If fatty sugary food can become an addiction just as much as alcohol ethelbags1 (and am sure you’re right) surely “willpower” would not be sufficient. People will need help and support?

You can’t really advise those with an addiction that all they need is willpower.

That is not the only answer to our obesity problem, which has been stated over and over on this thread. There are many reasons why people are overweight, and there is plenty evidence that being poor is one.

Calendargirl in the '60 you had to look like Twiggy so all the girls were constantly on diets. Even I starved myself to lose my 'puppy fat'!

Baggs

People aren't obese because they eat the wrong kind of food (though that may affect their health in other ways); they are obese because they eat too much food.

Not necessarily. Much ‘junk food’ is very calorie dense eg 10g of fat contains 90 cals whereas the same amount of protein or carbs only contains 40cals.

If you are poor and living on a budget you are also likely to have easier access to cheap fast food than fresh vegetables.

Very true Furret.

You're right Baggs. I can eat a lot of new potatoes---non-fattening, but I couldn't wade through one of those MacDonalds triple-burger things. I'd be ill.

And they're not cheap I don't suspect, but I see families tucking in to them.

EllanVannin

You're right Baggs. I can eat a lot of new potatoes---non-fattening, but I couldn't wade through one of those MacDonalds triple-burger things. I'd be ill.

How do you work out that new potatoes aren't fattening? Of course they are. It depends how many you eat.

How come you see families tucking into MacDonalds? Do you spy on them or something? Do you see the families who don't tuck into MacDonalds for whatever reason, maybe because they recognise that nutritionally they're bad value?

Have you done a proper survey of the percentage of families who eat MacDonalds and whether there's a connection between obesity or poverty?

Furret

Baggs

People aren't obese because they eat the wrong kind of food (though that may affect their health in other ways); they are obese because they eat too much food.

Not necessarily. Much ‘junk food’ is very calorie dense eg 10g of fat contains 90 cals whereas the same amount of protein or carbs only contains 40cals.

If you are poor and living on a budget you are also likely to have easier access to cheap fast food than fresh vegetables.

Exactly! Potatoes and pasta are probably the cheapest of all foods. It doesn't matter whether you cook them yourself or not. They're still high in calories for very little nutrition return. That's a good thing if you're trying to feed a hungry family because it fills them up and provides energy, so they don't actually starve, but people need the more expensive nutrients in other foods too, unless they are to become malnourished.

Yes growstuff and if you’re working long hours, arrive home knackered, quick options like pasta are handy. Many poorer families who are struggling are not unemployed. Some haven’t even got adequate cooking facilities.

Baggs

People aren't obese because they eat the wrong kind of food (though that may affect their health in other ways); they are obese because they eat too much food.

Agree. There is a pub near me that does lovely roast dinners that you help yourself to. My husband and I have been absolutely shocked at the size of sone people’s portions. We have seen plates literally piled high with food and the same people with these portions are huge. So yes Baggs some individuals are just plain greedy! I honestly don’t know how they eat it all. I’d be sick but then I’m not greedy.

Greeneyedgirl

Yes growstuff and if you’re working long hours, arrive home knackered, quick options like pasta are handy. Many poorer families who are struggling are not unemployed. Some haven’t even got adequate cooking facilities.

I know. Pour in a cheap sauce made with fat and sugar and you have a cheap and filling, but not very nutritious, meal. Just because something is "home made" doesn't necessarily make it good. A MacDonalds burger is very possibly more nutritious.

We used to marvel at the size of Americans years ago. Now we have the same situation here. Fast food outlets came from the USA with tasty but unhealthy food and guess what more and more people became obese.

We had 3 children and once a month could afford to TREAT them to burgers and chips. We were nt poor but I had to stick to a budget. If all the crisps were finished through the week no more were bought till Friday night when I did a weekly shop.

As I said before children need to learn how to cook in secondary school and how to budget money- surely the basics of life.

I found the reason for eating healthy foods to make my mind while eating them. I read many articles about their constituents and their potential benefits for human body.

Nicholas12312

I found the reason for eating healthy foods to make my mind while eating them. I read many articles about their constituents and their potential benefits for human body.

Surely healthy foods by definition have benefits for the human body?

MawB

Nicholas12312

I found the reason for eating healthy foods to make my mind while eating them. I read many articles about their constituents and their potential benefits for human body.

Surely healthy foods by definition have benefits for the human body?

Even carbohydrate-rich foods are healthy because they provide energy/calories. Without calories, you'd be dead, which isn't very healthy.

Well obviously that too Growstuff

Firecracker, absolutely agree1

For a start they could limit the size of the portions in the fish and chips shops.
Its impossible to buy a small portion of fish and a child's serving of chips is more than enough for DH and myself.

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