Poverty and obesity: are they connected?

Poverty is a big issue amongst those who are obese as they are more susceptible to illness which stop them from working or that they are simply too heavy and it is a danger for them to work. Therefore they are not making enough money to afford the right kinds of foods. Imagine your appearance stopping you from having a job or a normal life, if we keep consuming all this junk food, the numbers for obesity rates will keep increasing more and more every year and it’s scary to think that if we keep going the way we are, everyone could become obese. According to the Guardian, those who are out of work are more likely to be overweight than those who do have a job as studies show that when employers are hiring staff, they tend to hire the slimmer candidates rather than those who are overweight or obese. The link between poverty and obesity for men and women in the UK are similar, as when the obesity rates rise, the same happens with poverty rates. Studies show that 30% of women and 25% of men who are classified as the most deprived in society are also obese in comparison to those who are not in poverty where these numbers drop to 19% and 22%. Therefore, this shows that those who live deprived lives are more likely to be obese and this could be because of their food choice. As we know, junk food is the cheapest kind of food sold in supermarkets, and so people who are on a budget need to ensure they don’t overspend and go for the fatty and sugary stuff. If we put a tax on fatty foods and drinks, then it would encourage more people to make healthier food choices and avoid the junk isles which are the cause all of these horrible health complications and illnesses.