Obesity - Does economy play a role?

[|Overlord|]

Well.. I'd pick a 0.10$ apple over a 1$ burger any day tbh..

Yes, fast-food in america might be cheap, but fresh fruit and vegetables are cheaper than fast-food (over here in belgium it is anyway).. I still think culture plays the biggest part in this story, americans have fast paced lifes, they can't be arsed to go to a local store or supermarket to get a bag of apples or vegetable.. They'd rather go to a drive-through, order fast-food, get it a minute later and enjoy a good, fat meal.

What's easier and faster? Spend 10 minutes to drive to the local store, get some apples, pay 0.xx$ per apple and off you go? Or spend 1 minute going to the local McDonalds, order food for 1$ and of you go?

Here in australia their has been a price rise of bananas. Bananas now cost $4 a kilo, with vegetable prices soon to rise soon I would also expect aswell (We have had increased prices mainly since the drought kicked in, and that was starting from 2001).

 

[Chakra-X]

Well if you are in a rush/lazy/not that wealthy, chances are, you are going to order fast food. Not everyone will have the time/patience to work out and if you combine these two over time, there is a good chance that individual will begin to gain weight.

I don't know about Europe, but fast food restaurants appear very often. I have never seen a person gradually become fat and what caused it (except for Super Size Me), so if I see an obese adult/child, they could have been pregnant or just genetically obese.

Now regarding the economy, if you have to work 9 to 5 and do not have time or the patience to eat a more proper meal, the Dollar Menu is a life saver. If the job is one with little physical activity, such as a desk job, that just makes it worse. And if you are a really busy person, jogging every other day for 20 minutes isn't the most convenient thing for you. It's sad cycle =(