Cheap Food, Poverty and Obesity -- Is there a Correlation - Essay Example

Cheap Food, Poverty and Obesity Poverty can be defined as a condition in which a person or community lacks the financial resources and other basic necessities to enjoy a minimum life standard and well-being that is considered acceptable in society it is deprivation of basic human needs which are food, water, clothing shelter sanitation and health care. However obesity is a medical condition in which body fats accumulate to and tend to have a negative effect on reduced life expectancy and healthy problems.

Junk food which is cheap and found in local markets that are full of untested fats levels is mostly consumed by deprived communities and individuals due to inability to access affordable healthy food, cheap junk food has high starch, calorie and fats contents which is taken to the blood streams and go directly to build adipose tissues in the body hence accumulation of facts which leads to obesity. Deprived people are known not to take concerns on exercises which help in burning down the calories in the body.

Additionally, individuals in impoverished regions have poor access to fresh food like vegetables which have fiber which helps in digestion of fats hence its excretion from their bodies. Poor countries have the greatest sedentariness. Sedentary individuals move more two hours per day which is less than active individuals and hence expend less energy making them prone to obesity and chronic metabolic diseases. Consumption of semi processed or unprocessed food which is not fresh which carries a lot of calories that when taken builds up the fat content in the body which include sugars bread and other cheap milk products.

Conclusion:When this research began, the question was whether or not, “a correlation existed between people, who ate at fast food restaurants, poverty, and obesity”. The development of the paper exposed many factors leading to obesity without fast food being the major contributor. There are a number of reasons why people are obese or heading for obesity. Environment or heredity can be contributors as well as the lack of physical activity, becoming sedentary, over use of technology; watching television, driving as opposed to walking, and failing to exercise.

People have developed heart disease and may also develop diabetes, high blood pressure, and additional health problems when lifestyle changes occur and obesity sets in.In America’s cities, there is a fast food establishment on many corners. At a young age, children begin eating fast food because of the convenience, propaganda involved, and the cost. There are many people that have become obese and seeking to find a way to cure the obesity.The Unites States First Lady, Mrs. Obama, says that “with an in-balance diet, and lack of education, obesity, especially in children is a growing problem.

However, while there is a good correlation that exists between poverty, overweight and lower prices of food; the determinant is that in the poor population, there is a high number of people that are obese as a result of their choice of food due to cost. There are many people below the poverty guideline, and with such little money there is not enough to purchase the appropriate food, thus, they resort to low quality processed foods. The price of food far outweighed the convenience of food chainswhich were distance away, and bringing them closer to the people would be very effective, if they were going to offer a better choice of healthy affordable foods.

Reference Levy-N.E 2008. The Culture of Obesity in Early and Late Modernity. Palgrave Macmillan. Pool, R. 2001. Fat: Fighting the Obesity Epidemic. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.