An Overweight Environment?

Obesity is increasing throughout the world, so it’s important to know what factors are responsible. Apart from the more obvious ones ((‘couch-potato’ philosophy, fast food availability, sugar-laden soda drinks), it’s becoming clear that environment can play a role. German scientists have just reported on an association between the occurrence of obesity and several features of the 7,000 subjects’ environment. They scored the amount of greenery, litter, and graffiti, comparing these with the occurrence of obesity; this is published in the British Medical Journal. They also estimated the subjects’ physical activity.

Greater amounts of greenery and lower levels of litter and graffiti were associated with a lessened rate of obesity AND a greater level of physical activity. In other words, they suggest that a pleasant environment induces people to exercise more and hence to be less overweight.

That sounds a bit simplistic. One must insert the level of affluence into the equation. Poorer environments are usually found in poorer neighborhoods, along with more readily-available, cheap, fast-food outlets. But the study does show that, if you exercise, whatever your surroundings you’re likely to be thinner.
 

Comments

[bonnie jeanne]

Obesity, why is it always blamed on fast food and such. I don't know why but I started reading labels years ago. We have become such a fast world. When I was a child we had fresh vegetables, meat with no additives. There were canned foods but in our house you didn't get them much. If you did after the can was opened they were drained and rinsed then warmed. I look at all the chemicals in hamburger helper, canned foods, tv dinners. NO way am I eating that. I can't help thinking they hurt more than a big mac.