by

Joseph



Will America's obesity epidemic worsen as a consequence of the current economic crisis? It isn't hard to notice that an increasing number of Americans are severely overweight or obese, indeed according to recent statistics from the National Center for Health Statistics a combined total of just under 73 percent of Americans are overweight, obese or severely obese (1,2).

And the news is even more shocking for children with 36 percent of US children overweight, 16 percent obese and 11 percent morbidly obese (2).

According to National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) data, the prevalence of childhood obesity is on the rise with 46.8 percent of children aged 2-19 years categorized as obese (3). The dangers associated with obesity increase as children become adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 80 percent of overweight children aged 10-15 years of age grow up to become obese adults, and even more alarming is that the younger the age of the child suffering weight problems, the more likely it is that he/she will experience problems as an adult (3).

Unfortunately the relationship between obesity and lower income is nothing new (4). When people don't have a lot of money they buy items which they can afford because it's better to eat some food rather than go without anything at all.

And it stands to reason that as the economy worsens people will look for more cost-efficient ways of feeding themselves and their families. This means that many people may turn to foods that are high in simple sugars and saturated fats because these foods tend to be more economically priced that healthier food items.

Moreover, chronic stress, which wreaks havoc on the human body, is often a factor in unwanted weight gain. Often times the quick fix to stress is emotional eating, which in the long run, does nothing to make the existing problem(s) go away but may actually exacerbate them.

So how are we to live healthily in these tough economic times? By remaining informed and using common sense strategies when shopping for food at the supermarket. It's important to be on the lookout for weekly sales or specials at your local supermarket or grocery.

Compare prices and items of different supermarkets and purchase the foods that will provide the highest nutritional quality at a given price. Remember not to skimp on nutrition; choose foods that are abundant in protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates. Basic foods would include beef, pork steak, chicken, legumes, spinach, green beans, carrots, apples, pears, milk, and grains.

I've provided a link to a detailed list of money-saving tips that will help you save money at the supermarket that were written by the US Department of Health and Human Services (5). Check it out in the reference section of this article.

I was inspired to write this article because of what I see around me. In tough economic times people are going to have difficulty just getting by. One of the tenets of responsible citizenship is that everyone help each other whenever possible.

The mission of "Living Fit, Healthy and Happy" is to provide health and wellness information to the public, thus it is important to write about this topic that is affecting an increasing number of Americans everyday.

When people are provided with enough information then perhaps they will put it to good use for themselves and their families and thereby have a positive effect on themselves and the world around them.

Living Fit, Healthy and Happy_(SM) will always seek to do the will of the living God.

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References

1. "Obesity Among Adults in the United States-- No Statistical Significant Change Since 2003-2004." http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/07newsreleases/obesity.htm

2. "Obese Americans now outweigh the overweight." Reuters. Fri. Jan. 9, 2009. http://www.reuters.com/article/email/idUSTRE50863H20090109

3. "Childhood Overweight and Obesity" http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/childhood/index.htm

4. "March/April 2004: Obesity and Poverty." Medscape Today. Ursula Snyder, PhD. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/469027

5. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/healthieryou/html/tips_money_saving.html


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