Is cheap food to blame for the obesity epidemic?

[Jazzy]

The availability of cheaper food is the main reason behind the rising rates of obesity in the U.S., says a new analysis published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

The review of existing research on lifestyle habits and health also indicates many of the theories about the growing obesity epidemic may actually be wrong. While other factors have also contributed to the obesity problem -- like spending more time in cars, hours in front of computers and TVs, and a shift toward sedentary jobs -- the authors' analysis shows the link between obesity and these various factors is less strong.

Instead, after assessing findings of 75 prior papers and reports on lifestyle and public health, the authors conclude access to cheap food is the main driving force behind the obesity epidemic.

A cheaper diet tends to add up to eating more -- and to less healthy eating. Greater convenience, reduced time costs of obtaining meals, and increased accessibility lead to increased food consumption and possibly have been the major causes behind weight gain since the 1980s.

A report published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine suggests that by 2030 as much as 42 percent of the country will be obese.

Source

In your opinion, is cheap food to blame for the obesity epidemic? Why / Why not?

 

[gaze-universe]

No matter if the food was free, why would you eat more than you need? I think the question needing an answer is "Why do you feel the need to eat more than you physically require?"

 

[JetWing34]

The United States is, and forever will be, the obesity capital of the world.

 

[Jazzy]

In my opinion, to only blame cheap food for the obesity epidemic is ridiculous. Obesity can be caused by medical conditions and/or medications as well. Then let's throw in the laziness factor. People are spending more and more time in front of computers instead of being out and doing things. Boredom and/or inactivity causes weight gain too. People sit and eat bags of chips and drink sugary drinks and think they're not going to gain weight? They need to think again.

Whatever happened to home cooked meals? I see parents with their children eating in fast food establishments all the time. Are these parents too lazy to make a healthy meal?

Yea, cheap food is a factor for obesity but so are a lot of other things as well.

 

[gaze-universe]

Is fast food considered cheap food in the USA? 'Cause it's not considered cheap food in here, neither is chips or sugary drinks. They're all expensive in my opinion.

 

[Sinon]

Cheap food isn't to blame for obesity.

Lack of willpower is.

While yes, obesity can be caused by medication and/or medical conditions, the number one reason for obesity is eating too much. And to quote a TV show, "put down the fork, fatass".

 

[Nebulous]

Is fast food considered cheap food in the USA? 'Cause it's not considered cheap food in here, neither is chips or sugary drinks. They're all expensive in my opinion.

Yeah, everywhere has a dollar menu and some places have things half price on certain days. Its way cheaper to eat unhealthy foods (which are cheap to buy here) than eating healthy foods (which can get pretty pricey).

 

[gaze-universe]

Well, at McD's we have a single item for 1 or 2 euro's, I think it's the cheese burgers and something else. A normal meal is 5.95€, there's other meals that are more than that and it's just one meal. If you buy potatoes and meat, you'll eat at least for two days and you'll still have potatoes to boil. The meat is kind of expensive, a little under 3-4 euro's 400g pack but that can last for me for three to four days. For one person household. I get by with 390e per month, feed two cats plus what else they need, what I might need (clothes, shampoo, etc) and I pay my bills with the rest (all in all I get 600€ at the moment). To me buying real food and cooking from scratch is a lot cheaper.

Is that a lot or little in US? for income.

Sorry if I made it off topic :\

 

[Nebulous]

(all in all I get 600€ at the moment)
Is that a lot or little in US? for income.

Google says 600 Euro equals 818.94 US Dollar. Yes, I doubt you could survive on that, some people's rent money alone is more than that.