Summary: The Effect Of Income On Obesity

The effect of income on obesity:

An analysis of income status in relation to food away from home consumption and how it relates to nutrient intake.

Shannon Bolyard, Charisse Costin, & Karsyn Tall

Group 1-002

As of 2012, approximately 8.4% of children in the United States, ages two to five, were diagnosed as obese. In the years 2011 through 2012 the prevalence of obesity has appeared to plateau in 2 to 19 year olds, however the amount of children ages three to five who are obese is still higher than what is desired(Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). These obesity rates are alarming due to the possible effect it will have on their health later in life. These effects include, but are not limited to, cancer, type 2

The dietary patterns that are established at a young age can structure the health of the child throughout their life (Kranz, Siega-Riz, & Herring, 2004). The diets of these three to five year olds demonstrated that they are consuming high amounts of saturated fat, sodium, and low amounts of fiber (Butte, Fox, Briefel, Siega-Riz, Dwyer, Deming, & Reidy, 2010). There has also been an escalation in snacking among the children in the study which could be a cofactor in the increase of childhood obesity. Lisa Jahns, Dr. Anna Marie Siega-Riz, & Dr. Barry Popkin (2001) demonstrated that in the last three decades snacking has increased calorically and with the frequency of consumption. In addition to snacking, P. Newby (2007) revealed that due to the rise in intake of refined grains, the percent of calories from carbohydrates has increased, while consumption of fiber from its natural source has decreased (Saldanha, 1995). Furthermore, Dr. Sibylle Kranz discovered out of all the nutrient components, added sugar and total energy intake were the two that have increased significantly over time (Kranz, Siega-Riz, & Herring 2004). There is a strong positive relationship with childhood obesity continuing on into adolescence and adulthood if not corrected, which can lead into other problems in addition to obesity (Newby, 2007). As previously

According to the study by Matthew Salois (2012) there is a strong correlation with household income and obesity. Sara Gable & Susan Lutz (2000) found children who were obese were more likely to live in a family that had a lower annual household income compared to children which were not obese. Evidence also indicated that when there is a decrease in household income of approximately $5,000, the risk of obesity is increased (Gable & Lutz, 2000). Young Jo (2014) assessed the results collectively and it showed family income and childhood obesity were negatively correlated. However, when the income was below 11,000 in the context of 1999, households presented a positive correlation. This could indicate there is a specific level where the correlation switches from positive to negative. Another possible influence of childhood obesity and low-income is the price of the food. Jo (2014) demonstrated households who were low-income when faced with high food prices showed a positive correlation between food price and weight. As it correlated with age, obesity rates increased faster for low-income children compared to middle and high-income (Jo, 2014). Household income has shown to contribute to obesity when assessing low-income families more drastically compared to middle and