As reported by the Press Association; according to research carried out by German scientists, victims of the credit crunch are more likely to be loosening belts than tightening them. They claim there is a definite link between being in debt and obesity. Indeed, ‘a study of more than 9,000 individuals found that a quarter of those who were seriously in debt were clinically obese.’
Key factors of the link between being in debt and obesity is the cost of healthy food and ‘a tendency for people worried by debt to “comfort eat”’. The research has further shown that whilst in the past obesity would have been linked to lack of education and occupational status, being obese due to being in debt is independent of these factors. In other words, people from all backgrounds are being effected by the credit crunch and becoming in debt and therefore possibly obese due to cost of healthy food and lifestyles.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver agrees that the recession could increase obesity as reported in the Telegraph “The looming recession could contribute to an obesity “horror show”, Jamie Oliver has warned MPs, because people have lost the skills to make healthy meals on a budget.”
A change in lifestyles over the last couple of decades which has seen women prominent in the work place and out of the kitchen, the availability of good quality, if not expensive, ready made meals, and “for the first time in history many people in this country [can] not cook.” He goes on to say “Tightening budgets will encourage more of [people] to rely on cheap fast food, often high in fat and salt.”
Jamie Oliver believes the government should, through education, encourage more people to cook and restrict the amount of fast food restaurants. Jamie has called the increased numbers of people who are obese a “bloody emergency” as he reports “one in four Britons is now classed as overweight or obese, while the predicted recession could make the situation worse.”
So, will the credit crunch encourage obesity? I think it is true to say that those who have the skill to cook from raw products are at an advantage and can still create affordable healthy meals. However, over the years we have evolved into a culture that craves the time saving convenience of ready made meals which can be easily replaced with cheaper junk food. It also depends on where you live. In our global society we have to realise that raw produce is not available everywhere at affordable prices. Therefore a diet of carbohydrates such as pasta, rice, and potatoes becomes the only option.
As incomes are reduced, people going to the gym, swimming baths, and take part in other sporting activities that require a membership will decline. This could lead to more inactivity and therefore result in an unhealthy lifestyle leading to possible obesity.
What is the answer? Re educating ourselves. We need to re-establish healthy home cooking as far as possible as Jamie Oliver suggests. So what if you can’t afford the gym, running is free, a walk in the country, a bike ride with the family. There are many things we can do to stay healthy. Whilst the credit crunch is a really hard, possibly life altering time, it is also a chance to re-evaluate out lives and establish what is really important.
Sources:
The Telegraph – Jamie Oliver warns MPs ‘recession could worsen obesity crisis’
The Press Association – Credit crunch ‘encouraging obesity’
I think that there’s also an onus on retailers to provide healthy foods at better prices – there are always ‘buy one get one free” offers on cheap fatty, salty or sugary foods with high profit margins, but no-one offers healthier food at prices that the consumer sees as favourable.