Economy food shopping ‘could fuel obesity’
The current trend for buying cheaper, less-healthy foods due to the economic downturn could increase obesity levels, it has been claimed.
Many shoppers are shunning foods such as smoothies and organic vegetables for cheaper options such as hamburgers and frozen pizzas as a way of saving money, reports the Financial Times.
Dr Tim Lobstein, director of the childhood obesity programme at the International Association for the Study of Obesity, said such a development could be bad news for the fight against the condition.
"Reduced spending on food would usually mean going for the cheaper food lines and these are generally more sugary and fatty," he said, noting that it would be increasingly difficult to keep healthy food sufficiently cheap.
Dame Deirdre Hutton, chairman of the Food Standards Agency, added that the "food agenda" changes along with the economic climate.
Speaking in a meeting with the Department of Health, she said it was crucial to ensure that "nutrition and health" remained the top priorities for shoppers.
The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with obesity
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