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Exercise and Nutritious Eating on a Budget
Do You Have to Be Rich to Be Healthy?
Nutrient-dense food, a health club membership, and professional weight loss support can demand major moola—and may explain why lower-income individuals are less likely to eat right and exercise
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Does a Healthy Body Come with a High Price Tag?
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1
The Cost of a Healthy Diet
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2
The Cost of Staying Fit
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3
The Cost of Losing Weight
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4
How to Stay Healthy for Less
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5
The Big Payoff
Does a Healthy Body Come with a High Price Tag?
Image: Corbis Images
A big belly used to be a symbol of wealth (and a good way to protect yourself from the next famine). Today, excess weight typically goes hand-in hand with being strapped for cash, as lower-income individuals have limited access to fitness opportunities and fresh, affordable food. But does it have to be that way?
Reports show that low-income people suffer disproportionately from health problems related to unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity. According to the CDC, Americans with annual household incomes below $15,000 are much more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, obesity, and asthma compared with those who have household incomes above $50,000 a year. (Search: Are you at risk for diabetes?) Lower-income individuals also rate their health as poorer and are less likely to use physical activity and a healthy diet to manage or lose weight compared to those in higher-income brackets.
But income is only one determinant of health. Even those with the means to purchase personal training sessions and hit up health food stores regularly opt for fast food. For example, a University of California-Davis study recently revealed that middle-class Americans indulge in fast food more often than low-income people do. The number of fast food visits rose in proportion to income up until $60,000, and then it dropped off. While chains like McDonald’s are notorious for offering hundreds of calories for a single dollar, it’s the convenience of the drive-through window—not the prices—that keeps financially-comfortable consumers coming back—and keeping pricier establishments like Chipotle and Five Guys afloat.
But a fast-food diet is just one piece of the puzzle—besides the cost of nutritious foods, there are other expenses that go along with staying fit and losing weight. Here, we explore what it generally costs to stay healthy, and offer tips on how to do so for less.
10 Ways to Save on Food Shopping
Reports show that low-income people suffer disproportionately from health problems related to unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity. According to the CDC, Americans with annual household incomes below $15,000 are much more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, obesity, and asthma compared with those who have household incomes above $50,000 a year. (Search: Are you at risk for diabetes?) Lower-income individuals also rate their health as poorer and are less likely to use physical activity and a healthy diet to manage or lose weight compared to those in higher-income brackets.
But income is only one determinant of health. Even those with the means to purchase personal training sessions and hit up health food stores regularly opt for fast food. For example, a University of California-Davis study recently revealed that middle-class Americans indulge in fast food more often than low-income people do. The number of fast food visits rose in proportion to income up until $60,000, and then it dropped off. While chains like McDonald’s are notorious for offering hundreds of calories for a single dollar, it’s the convenience of the drive-through window—not the prices—that keeps financially-comfortable consumers coming back—and keeping pricier establishments like Chipotle and Five Guys afloat.
But a fast-food diet is just one piece of the puzzle—besides the cost of nutritious foods, there are other expenses that go along with staying fit and losing weight. Here, we explore what it generally costs to stay healthy, and offer tips on how to do so for less.
10 Ways to Save on Food Shopping
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