Why poor people are usually overweight? They should be?

Question

Why poor people are usually overweight?
They should be thin, theoretically, dying from hunger.

I never said "all poor people", did I?

From the answers, I do not understand why these poor people "go to
McDonalds instead of Subway". I thought that poor were supposed to
eat at home?

Answer 1

Yeah, I have never quite been able to figure out how poor people manage to have the money to eat so much food that it makes them fat. (I assume we're talking about the people who, while not impoverished, are simply classified as such because they fall below the government's poverty line and are eligible for handouts.)

Sure, they may not always be able to afford healthy foods, but those who are fat are clearly eating way too much food. You'd have to eat an awful lot of bologna to become as overweight as many of them seem to be. If a person is poor, I don't know why they think they need to be spending so much money on all this extra food. Maybe having food stamps makes them feel like that, because it's not their own money they are spending, it's okay to buy way more food than they actually need, so they buy two packages of bologna when they really only need one.

But I don't really believe that all healthy food is too expensive for them. Go to the grocery store and watch what fat people load their carts up with. Apples are cheaper and healthier than chips. Cheerios are cheaper and healthier than Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Low-fat milk is cheaper and healthier than soda or sugared juices. But you just watch and, nine times out of ten, the fat people you see will always be buying more of the foods that made them fat in the first place. And of course, food stamps usually don't cover junk food.

I'm not entirely sure why so many of them eat out at fast food places. An Egg McMuffin might only cost a dollar, but that is actually quite expensive for a breakfast when you consider that you can buy a large box of cereal for $2.50 and get 20 servings out of it. It's about a quarter of the cost of eating a $1 breakfast. It is almost always cheaper to eat at home.

And then there's this whole argument that they are fat because they can't afford gym memberships. Last I checked, it was free to walk along the sidewalk. I can't afford a gym membership, but I still get5 plenty of exercise and I'm not fat.

As for education about nutrition, whatever happened to people taking responsibility for themselves? You can learn all about it for free at the library. But I guess that might be too much to expect from people who also don't resonibility for their health in other ways.

Answer 2

I believe there's some truth to this, but obviously it's a generalization. Not all poor people are fat, and not all wealthier people are thin. Poor people are generally less educated about health and have less means to get healthy foods. I know when I wasn't making a lot of money, I ate fast food all the time. Now that I make a comfortable living I might have it once a month if I'm really hungry and can't find another quick alternative. I feel like I've seen studies about this discussed on the news numerous times.

Answer 3

Ok, I see your point. But I'm going to describe the neighborhoods or places where those of lower income tend to live. There is "corner store" that sells the basics: chips, candy, soda, cigarettes, etc. Never a fruit nor a vegetable. Restaurant chains that typical in these neighborhoods are McDonald's and Burger King, along with mom and pop barbeque shacks. No delis, no fresh markets, no Subways. The local grocery stores are never named Jewels or Kroger or Winn Dixie. They are small and the fruits and vegetables are priced higher than those foods that non-perishable or high in fats or sugar. There are no gyms to go and work out. There are minimal parks and the playgrounds are too dangerous for kids to run and play. If you can put all of this together, you can understand how those of lower income can be overweight. This is why heart disease and diabetes run rampant.

I am attending college and found it difficult to break out of eating unhealthy foods, but I learned. I've realized how expensive it is to lead a healthier life, but I made the sacrifice. My grandfather passed from a heart attack and my grandma has high blood pressure. That has been my motivation for change. I wish I had solutions for those back home who I feel are trapped in this unhealthy lifestyle.

Answer 4

Many inexpensive foods are fattening because they are high in starch and are filling. For example, you can feed a whole family a spaghetti dinner for what one good quality steak costs. Also, many poor people have two or more jobs, so they do not have time for regular exercise or can't afford trips to the health club or gym. Many poor people also do not have adequate health care. It is difficult to exercise or eat well if you are sick. Also, many poor people do not have the same opportunities for education and do not know as much about nutrition. As a result, they do not always provide balanced meals. They choose meals that are high in fat, or simply buy what they can afford, not what is healthiest. These are some possible explanations for poor people being overweight.

Answer 5

Poor people are usually over weight because the cheaper food is all junk food. Think about it. Fast food is usually cheaper and more fattning then healthy foods. Healthy foods if ya havent noticed cost more than junk food. If ya had a choice bettween Subway & Mcdonalds, a poor person would pick Mcdonalds because if that person just has a dolla. That person can buy something from the dolla menu ratha than going to subway and spending twice as much.

Answer 6

this is actualy a no brainer.Food is expensive,Good for you food is more expensive.Back when i was on a limited budget with children to feed i had to stretch my dollars,you feed 5 people on $90.00 for two weeks! and you,ll know what i mean,you have to make meals that are filling because maybe there will only be 2 meals a day,with kids thats hard so i made lots of bread ,tortillas and corn bread,and served lots of soups stews and pasta cassaroles.I had to buy less Quality meats like 89 cent hotdogs(God! dont read the lable it,ll make you sick) and bacon ends and pieces ,fatty meats ,chicken thighs instead of breasts.canned veg. instead of fresh.mac and cheese,lots of beans with bacon or pork hocks and other foods that are inexpensive but often high in fat .(survival food) Part of the price thing is that the health craze creates demand,stores know this and up prices on popular items like fresh fuit and veggies, lean cuts of meat.low fat products.whole grain products. we are in a much better place now and we,re well off enough to make better choice,s and the part about dying from hunger? dont assume because they are fat that they are well fed. thats the thing with survival food, the majority of calories are from fat content.and although we put on weight during that time ,we felt starved always. craving fruit and veggies,whole grain. I feel that we were,nt getting the real nutrients we needed so we tended to overeat trying to end that starving feeling.So i believe one can be overweight and at the same time be under nourished.

Answer 7

There is actually a reason for this. Wealthy people have more access to gym memberships/private cooks/personal trainers and have had more information given to them about nutrition----incidentally, anorexia and bulimia are far more common in wealthy families than poor ones. Also, junk food is cheap entertainment, and many poor people have not been taught how to eat very healthfully.


Some just sit on their lazy butts all day, too, and that's why they're fat and poor. I'm not saying that to be mean or saying that all poor people do that, but it SOMETIMES happens.

Answer 8

Poor diet and low to no exercise are big factors in weight gain. Buffets, fast food, processed foods and other bad foods are cheap and readily available at bargain prices whereas fresh food and fruits are more expensive and not everything at the store that is healthy is grouped in specials and low prices. But not all poor people are fat, I think you're stereotyping some.

Answer 9

Well, if their starving poor, they usually are thin.

But if you're talking about the poor American, that's a totally different story.

#1 - A poor person may be able to afford food, but not healthy food. Health food and fresh fruit and vegetables are expensive.

#2 - If they're working insane hours or multiple jobs to make ends meet, they probably do not have time to exercise.

#3 - If they are poor enough to recieve help from the Federal Goverment, they are on food stamps. And let me tell you. If you qualify for food stamps, the goverment gives you TONS of money. When my family was on food stamps, we ate better than we ever did without them.

Answer 10

Poor people tend to buy more foods that are loaded with carbs, preservatives and salt, all of which can affect their weight, simply because they are cheaper. Good foods like fresh meat, fruits and vegetables are expensive, and many poor people simply cannot afford them, or can only buy them in moderation. An example: Ramen noodles. They are one of the cheaper foods you can buy. Then look at the prices of fresh green peppers, peaches, beef and turkey. When you are on a limited budget, you find ways to buy as much as you can for as little as possible. It really is sad.