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Recession Weighs on Waistlines

The economic downturn is making more Americans chubbier and prone to obesity related illnesses such as diabetes in what has been dubbed "recession fat."

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  Healthways Incorporated

Content courtesy of McClatchy Tribune Newspapers

January 14, 2010

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The economic downturn is busting wallets and bursting waistlines as consumers shift their eating habits to help their budgets.

With unemployment in the double digits, consumers who find themselves increasingly strapped have turned to cheaper means to feed their families. And those who have jobs are working longer hours, forgoing exercise and searching for foods that are economical and convenient.As a result, more consumers are turning to processed foods, either prepared, frozen or canned and often filled with fat-generating calories, refined grains and sugars. Experts said that's making more Americans chubbier and prone to obesity-related illnesses such as diabetes in what has been dubbed "recession fat."

"Eating healthy has been one of the big casualties of this economic downturn," said Harry Balzer, chief industry analyst at the NPD Group and author of the research company's annual Eating Patterns in America report. "Last year, consumers cut back on eating better-for-you and organic foods."

The culprit is cost. About 70 percent of respondents to a recent Technomic Inc. survey said healthier foods are increasingly difficult to afford.

Meanwhile, consumers are turning to more affordable grab-and-go alternatives such as chips, cookies, candy and now snack wraps and miniburgers in between meals and often in lieu of a meal, recent studies show.

More consumers are eating at home. But some are cooking frozen pizza or bringing home fast food. The obesity rate was up more than 1 percentage point, to 26.4 percent in year-over-year comparisons in September, according to the Gallup- Healthways Well-Being Index.

Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune

 

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COMMENTS (2) | Add Comment

This article is based on pure speculation. What research is being cited for these claims? I find it interesting that just a few weeks ago this same newspaper had reported that fast food chains had all reported decreased profits during this recession year.

jlim1 (01/14/2010, 1:14 AM )

this is the worst kind of "journalism."

so, while the recession is "forcing" people to eat more processed foods, it's also inspiring the locavore movement and an increase in urban gardens, yeah?

[[About 70 percent of respondents to a recent Technomic Inc. survey said healthier foods are increasingly difficult to afford.]]

so the recession has driven up the cost of a bag of apples from $1.99 to, what?, $2.19.

celery is cheap, eggplant is 79 cents a pound. good chicken is $2.49 a pound. rice. a can of beans is 89 cents. carrots are like 59 cents a pound. a bag of spinach is two dollars.

i made lasagna the other day. beef, $3. tomato sauce, $2. an onion, ten cents. red pepper, 50 cents. spinach, a dollar. pasta, two dollars.

maybe ten bucks to cook enough lasagna for three days.

the results of the survey should have revealed "about 70 percent of respondents don't know how to cook a meal from scratch, are too lazy to learn and that laziness translates into the extra thirty pounds hanging around their gut."

IMHO.Chicago (01/14/2010, 12:10 AM )

We have the waistline solution with #gameon there's no need to DIEt and our opportunity can put money in your wallet. http://www.mydrinkact.biz

3 Excited legs!