Where you shop can influence obesity risk

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

According to a new study, who you know and where you shop can have a big influence on your weight.
It has long been believed that the poor are more likely to be obese because they don't have ready access to shops selling healthy foods. Researchers at the Rand Corporation in Los Angeles now reveal the link is more complicated than this. They surveyed over 2,000 residents on their eating and health habits. This showed that those living in poor neighborhoods and shopping in even poorer ones were more likely to be overweight than those who shopped in richer neighborhoods.

What is more, living in neighborhoods where people shopped in better off areas tended to be linked with lower weight. This study underlines the importance of social factors in obesity. The underlying issue is that calorie-dense foods, sodas and sugar are all cheap - healthier foods are more expensive. On a limited budget, less may be more - smaller amounts of healthier foods will do more for your weight than larger amounts of unhealthy ones - and cost about the same.

Source
American Journal of Preventive Medicine July 2006