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Lack of exercise, expensive fresh produce and a lack of local food resources have all been cited as potential contributors to the obesity epidemic in the United States. While all of those are legitimate concerns, a new study suggests the price of American foods is the biggest contributor to growing waistlines.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate about 35 percent of adults in the US are obese. That’s more than one-third, putting a substantial number of Americans at risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer and other problems tied to obesity.
Roland Strum, who worked with Ruopeng An from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, reviewed data on food purchases within the United States from 75 prior papers and reports. They reported that in the 1930s, Americans used roughly 25 percent of their disposable income on food. By the 1950s, that rate fell to 20 percent. Now, Americans only spend 10 percent of their disposable income on food. This trend reveals that food is now more affordable today than it was in the past.
“Greater convenience, reduced time costs of obtaining meals, and increased accessibility lead to increased food consumption and possibly have been the major causes behind weight gain since the 1980s,” the authors wrote reported by CBS News.
The findings from this study contradict the argument that Americans are getting fatter because fruits and vegetables are not readily accessible. Instead, the obesity rate appears to increase as the availability of fruits and vegetables increases as well. The researchers stressed the importance of eating well and watching one’s calorie intake.
Agencies/Canadajournal
