We all know that poverty is already a big problem, but there are more risks associated with it, which can lead to excessive weight gain. According to research, families with low income or poor families tend to have unhealthy eating habits because of these two things:
- Food Insecurity
Food insecurity literally means when people fear for their food. The individuals are insecure about their meals, because they don’t have enough money to pay for their needs. They usually think they wouldn’t have enough food for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This eventually causes them to gain extra weight. According to a study, the risk of obesity is higher for families who have low income.
There are parents who disturb the eating patterns of their children, because they are afraid that they wouldn’t be able to afford more food for the family. This happens when fathers or mothers restrict the amount of food they give to their child when she or he is hungry. There are also some occasions when the child is still full, and the parents pressure the child to eat more than they should. Unfortunately, this does not help the children in controlling their hunger and they may not even recognize that they are full already. This eventually leads to weight gain and overeating.
- Stress
It is easy for everyone to be stressed out, when there may not be enough money in the household. A stressful environment can definitely cause people to gain more weight rapidly with overeating. The unhealthy eating habits are usually the result of such challenges.
You may think that stress here pertains to just psychological stress, which can include getting stuck in traffic, losing a job, or having a fight with your loved one. Even though psychological stress is indeed a major reason for overeating, there are actually problems that cause physiological stress and can also lead to being overweight. These include the following:
- Chronic infections
- Insomnia or the sleep disorder where it is difficult to sleep at night
- Autoimmune disease
- Environmental toxins
Stress as a huge problem it does not just affect your weight, but it can also cause several health conditions. Stress can turn you into a diabetic, because it has the ability to raise your blood sugar levels. Also, it creates a sort of blockage that inhibits glucose to enter your cells. Stress can indeed make you fatter because you get hungrier when you are full of problems, you might want to grab a sugary treat to make yourself feel better.
Stress and food insecurity are not only happening to low income families though, especially the first one. The budget problem can happen to anyone and this can lead to stress. You can manage both money problems and other causes of stress, by handling your finances properly. In the end, you fight a winning battle against those extra pounds.
Source: www.stethnews.com
