Obesity and Health Reform - Essay Example

There is heated debate on the relationship between poverty and obesity over health care reform. Obesity has accounted for large budgets in many countries’ spending on medical care. The first reason for this trend lies in the relationship between obesity and diet quality. It will be rare to find a healthy diet among the poor population because the most affordable diet comprises of greasy diets. Such diets are cheaper than more healthy diets like lean meat, fish, fresh vegetables and fruits (Engber, 2009). This association can be seen when considered on the bases of the low cost of energy-dense foods and palatable sugars and fats prove this fact. In this case, most poor people become more obese and overweight as they consume more added sugars and fats and spend a lower part of their disposable income on food. This means that; poor people are likely to be obese as they are exposed to circumstances that would allow them to spend less on these unhealthy foods. This would mean. Therefore, the rates of obesity are high among the population groups with the highest poverty rates.

Another connection, between poverty and obesity, lies in the fact that low-income people may lack the time to prepare their meals, and they prefer buying cheap fast foods. This happens because, as rational consumers, the cost of preparing one’s meals supersedes the cost of buying an already-prepared meal. Further, obesity can be checked by engaging in sports activities as well as indoor exercises (Engber, 2009). However, poor people cannot afford subscriptions to these sports clubs, and they end up accumulating uncontrolled fats and weight.

Moreover, poor people are associated with psychological stress, which increases their food intake and retention in their bodies. With the poverty struggles and increased stress, their bodies produce a lot of digestive juices, which hastens digestion and absorption of food in their bodies. In this case, obesity becomes an inevitable fate for the poor population. The other possibility lies in the fact that poor people have a greater incentive to live in unhealthy ways. Unlike rich people, poor people have less money to spend on happiness, but plenty of time to spend on their health. The pleasure of eating and smoking, for example, are cheap, but they contribute to obesity.

In conclusion, obesity and poverty are closely intertwined in that poor people are exposed to cheap greasy foods, which make them obese. Poor people will prefer buying their food from roadside hotels rather than preparing their meals. Poor people also lack the economic ability to enable them to engage in sports activities, which could check their weight and body mass. Stress is a leading cause of increased food intake. Therefore, with poor people exposed to psychological stress, they are susceptible to obesity. Lastly, poor people derive their pleasure and happiness from eating activity and unhealthy intake of drugs which expose them to obesity. It all boils down to poor people’s lifestyles and how those lifestyles contribute to obesity.