Is The Recession Making Us Fatter?

blog.newsweek.com:

Could the plummeting economy be contributing to expanding waistlines? Something is: new data released exclusively to NEWSWEEK from Gallup-Healthways shows that in the past year, the number of Americans considered obese has jumped by 1.7 percent or almost 5.5 million people and that the obese report a much lower quality of life than those who are at healthier weights.

Read the whole story: blog.newsweek.com

Comments

[benne]

This is the ugliest side of liberals: the tendency to feel that they know better how the poor should live or even the tendency to make judgments that they know how the poor live. Do more about raising the minimum wage, do more to fight the Walmarts of the world, make legislation requiring sick leave, and bring back the old bankruptcy laws. All of these things and more will improve the health of the poor more than the kind of moralizing discourse that is the ugliest part of the American legacy.

[smoore2614]

Educating people that they are getting fat is making you feel that the "Liberals" know better. WoW. Now that we can read about facts and figures we as Americans need to learn how to eat right and find ways to excercise for free. You are right, we need them to change some laws. But we need to figure out how we as a nation can lower food cost on healthy eating. Fruits, vegetables, and protiens - these three groups that do not advertise on TV are still expensive for the consumer. The canned fruit and vegetables have high sugar count or corn syrup both bad for people but inexpensive to buy. So lets put education about food into the hands of the consumer and change.

[singermuse]

P.S.
Tell your representatives that state parks are a MUST if we are to have healthy and productive citizens.
Keeping the parks open will make more revenue especially in these hard times of more staycations than if they are closed.

[singermuse]

Yes, it IS making people fatter:
people recently unemployed tend to cut back on the organics and choose the hot dogs and mac and cheese to survive, but it doesn't have to be this way. One can survive very well and very healthfully without resorting to "food-like substances".
People who have been forclosed on and newly homeless will be looking for comfort anywhere they can and food is usually the first stop, but healthy alternatives to comfort food are there for those willing to make the extra effort to stay healthy AND find the comfort they need.
People without disposable income will be less likely to join expensive gyms or go on vacations or will feel they can't afford to engage in outdoor activities, especially if their state parks all close and only the playgrounds for the rich become available only to the wealthy.
Work out at home! Run/Jog/Walk on the street if you must, there are always ways to stay healthy no matter how hard times get.
I haven't belonged to a gym in 20 years.
I can eat healthfully on a shoestring...yes! It CAN be done!

[brandnewstuff]

Lack of self control and poor self management- just quite caring somethings are that basic despite the media needing to make everything pscho babble warfare

[kapalabhati]

No, overeating and underexercising is making us fatter.

[Catothemuchyounger]

This.