On average, a loaf of white bread will cost around $1.69 per loaf. Compare this to the price of a loaf of whole grain bread, which will cost around $3.79. If you only had fifty dollars to spend on household groceries for the week, which one would you buy? Obviously the whole grain bread would provide more health benefits, but when it comes down to it, many families cannot afford to buy foods that are good for them.
Refined, sugary, fatty foods are sometimes more that half the cost of healthy, nutrient rich foods, which leaves many low-income families faced with the choice of eating healthy or paying the bills. Poverty in the United States is directly linked to obesity, and is an issue that needs to be addressed.
The Facts Surrounding Low-Income and Obese Americans
- 30% of Americans are currently obese
- For all racial and ethnic groups combined, women of lower socioeconomic status (income ≤ 130 percent of poverty threshold) are approximately 50 percent more likely to be obese than those with higher socioeconomic status (income > 130 percent of poverty threshold)
- Low-income households purchase 3.3% less fruits and vegetables that high-income households
- Residents of the lowest-income neighborhoods have 2.5 times more exposure to fast-food restaurants than those living in the most affluent neighborhoods
The bottom line is that it is more expensive to eat healthy foods, and many families just cannot afford to do that. Lean cuts of meat cost more than those marbled with fat; fresh fruit and vegetables cost more than the canned varieties, which are often packed in salt or sugar; whole grains are more expensive than refined grains, which lack fiber; and foods filled with corn syrup, sugars, starches, and salt are usually the cheapest buys of them all.
Deflating Obesity
There are things that we can do to tackle this issue of low-income fueled obesity, the first of which is to strengthen state nutrition programs. Families need to have increased access to nutritious foods, and this can be done by changing the course of hunger assistance programs (“food stamps”).
Wisconsin's nutritional program, FoodShare, gives its recipients a lump sum each month to be used for food. For a family of four, a maximum benefit of $542 may be paid out, depending on income level and other special circumstances. One problem with low-income families using FoodShare is that the household may spend its entire allotment before the month's end, leaving a period where food may become scarce. During this time, some family members may go hungry, which causes the body's metabolism to lower and more fat to be stored.
Once the benefit is paid again, the family will be happy to be able to eat again, and may decide to splurge on meats, cookies, and other treats that they were unable have during the time they were short on money. Their bodies' will still be storing extra fat, however, because it doesn't know when the food will run out again.
Families would be better served to have their benefits either increased to last the entire month, or spread out, perhaps issuing payments biweekly instead. When food is not a scarcity, “binge-eating” will be less occurring, and metabolism rates will remain normal, since the body will not need to store fat during periods where food quantity is insufficient.
In addition, nutritional programs across the nation should be putting an emphasis on eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. Numerous studies have shown that not only does a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables curb obesity, but also lowers the risk for other health problems, such as cancer and diabetes. Food programs should be promoting the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables by issuing additional vouchers only good for items from the produce section or a Farmers' Market.
Obesity and Poverty Go Hand-in-Hand
Being overweight in America is not only a health issue, but an economic issue as well. While improvements to our states' food programs will help, the issue of poverty and inequities in social classes must be dealt with just as aggressively. Only when we realize that every life is as valuable as the next can we truly begin to work toward a better world.
