Prosperity and Weight Gain

<span style="font-size: large;">   Researchers often make note of the parallel rise in economic prosperity and weight gain.  The percent of people who are overweight increases with Gross Domestic Product or GDP.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">    It is a challenge and a disappointment.  Countries continue to have a majority of citizens with poor diet quality, but now the cause is an abundance of energy dense, nutrient poor foods not a scarcity of nutrient rich ones.  With increases in GDP the type of food available to people and the ways in which those foods are prepared appears to change.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">   The Western Diet of meat, dairy and refined grains takes the place of</span><span style="font-size: large;"> a plant based meal pattern</span><span style="font-size: large;">.  This transition has occurred in China, Mexico, India, Brazil, Egypt to name a few.  These countries are considered emerging markets and are the target of the food industry.  </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">   Most of us see the connection between international companies such as KFC, mcDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell and a rise in BMI.  However, as pointed out by Professor Barry Popkin (2007), another Western trend - the supermarket - impacts the diet as well.  His research shows a relationship between obesity in developing countries and these stores.  Yes <u>that is right</u> AND it makes sense.  Think of the Western countries - with over 60% of their populations overweight or obese - UK, USA, Australia, etc.  Perhaps you live in one.  You can confirm that the calorically dense, high processed foods are for sale inside supermarkets. </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">   We talk a lot about the lack of availability of healthier foods (fruits and vegetables, whole foods), but it is not availability as much as it is access.  Remember - access includes, cost, brand and taste preferences, convenience, and competition.  See the pictures below from one store.  This is just a sample of the displays within that store.  </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;">   Increasingly, nearly every environment in which food and people meet is an obesogenic  (obesity causing) one.</span><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8skZJJW0DLz99YCzK8BIOLSvFFTVq-cp-cr9emfLeJYV3HpAo1dhLXrjNWOKIe8CioGnYl-z551guz0kHNrYbjjl-6xOqtRgSVKPJcsp8sM5o_gmpVGsBKBSqLq22OsAMAk-gJifZzLe/s1600/supermarket+aisle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8skZJJW0DLz99YCzK8BIOLSvFFTVq-cp-cr9emfLeJYV3HpAo1dhLXrjNWOKIe8CioGnYl-z551guz0kHNrYbjjl-6xOqtRgSVKPJcsp8sM5o_gmpVGsBKBSqLq22OsAMAk-gJifZzLe/s640/supermarket+aisle.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Notice that in the middle photo there are about six different (junk food) displays down the aisle.  The photo on the right has two - candy and donuts.  These were taken at the front, middle & rear of the store.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>

Prosperity and Weight Gain

   Researchers often make note of the parallel rise in economic prosperity and weight gain.  The percent of people who are overweight increa...

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