Paradox Of Obesity

Introduction Obesity has been a major problem throughout the twentieth and twenty-first century. There are innumerable reported causes to this epidemic, such as a plethora of unhealthy food, lack of nutritional information, and as simple as a sedentary lifestyle. In one facet, a major contribution to obesity has been related to an increase of lower income people. This population of people supported by food stamps or the government in some way have come to represent a large segment not only in America, but around the world. This segment lacks access to healthcare, nutrition education, and preventative guidelines. There is also significant evidence that not only the less wealthy, but the less educated are at a higher risk to develop obesity.
As population rise at a rapid pace, this paradox has become global. Hand in hand with the economic recession beginning in 2008, “obesity has been on the rise in Europe for about two decades, but the pace appears to be picking up in tandem with the economic crisis, as job-seekers retreat into bad habits to ease their anxiety…more than half of Europeans are considered overweight now, and roughly 17 percent are considered obese” (Johnson, 2012, p. 1). In rough economic times, people find comfort traditional foods that are usually high in starch and fat. Economic insecurity is a constant stressor in affected people’s lives, between poverty and obesity, the, “…relationship is observed especially in the developed and developing countries…along with economic development and income growth, the number of people with overweight and obesity is increasing…this paradox has a relationship with both the easy availability and low cost of highly processed foods containing ‘empty calories’ and no nutritional value…. (it) has been described in the United States and the United Kingdom, although many European countries are also experiencing high percentages of obese people…among the reasons for the growing obesity in the population of poor people are: higher unemployment, lower education
These choices have begun to leave evidence, as, “a recent report by Safefood found that 10 percent of people in Ireland were too poor to afford a regular balanced diet, a situation that is bound to worsen in the recession” (Johnson, 2012, p. 2). People who cannot afford healthy ingredients would be more likely to choose meals that can stretch more, such as breads, pastas, and potatoes. In addition, when given a few dollars, struggling people have easier access to fast food chain restaurants as compared to full kitchens. Obesity and it’s causes have become a topic of concern, as, “Cassandra Daigle with the Feed the Solution organization said, ‘People usually don't think of obesity as a hunger problem, but it is…obesity signifies no access to nutritious food…it is easier to buy a hamburger at McDonalds than trying to buy health foods’"(Ubozoh, 2006, p. 17). Parents would rather feed their kids anything they will eat, and eat the same thing, rather than spend time shopping for and making a meal. Lack of time, increased stress, and few healthy choices all make obesity a hunger problem. These claims have been consistently represented in data, as, “poverty rates and obesity were reviewed across 3,139 counties in the U.S., ...in contrast to international trends, people in America who live in the most poverty-dense counties are those most prone to obesity…counties with poverty rates of >35% have