[Author’s Name]
[Institution’s Name]
Essay on Poverty and Obesity
Nations around the world, both rich and poor, face a global epidemic of obesity that is likely to have staggering health and economic consequences in the future. Obesity, the state of being significantly overweight, has become one of the most controversial chronic diseases of the 21st century.
A number of circumstances in the lives of low-income families contribute to the rise in obesity as a response to their poverty. The most nutritious foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, are also some of the most expensive, causing low-income families to choose cheaper foods, which are also higher in sugar and fat. Families in poverty often skip meals to stretch the household food budget, a habit that actually puts them at higher risk for obesity. Easy access to supermarkets has been shown to lead to healthier eating; however low-income neighborhoods have fewer supermarkets (Sarlio, 2001).
Children living in low-income communities lack safe places to exercise and are less likely than children from wealthier neighborhoods to participate in organized physical activities. Therefore, financial constraints can result in food shortages or limit a household’s ability to maintain a healthy diet, or both. Hunger and obesity are closely related tragic outcomes when a family is forced to choose between rent and food.
Current research on obesity now seems to focus on socioeconomic factors as a primary cause of this dangerous disease and empirical evidence suggests that poor people are the highest risk of becoming obese. This is largely because those living below or close to the poverty line usually have poor standards of living (Townsend et al 2001). Arguably their state of poverty deprives them from having a stable diet. The growing numbers of working mothers find it increasingly difficult to allocate time for preparing family meals, leading to increasing dependence on fattening fast foods......
