The Cost of Obesity

For those of us tempted to cut corners on the grocery bill, I'd like to share some information.

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/econo mic_consequences.htm

According to this, an average of 65 billion dollars was spent on health care for problems pertaining to overweight and obesity from 1996-1998

Now those are just medical expenses. That doesn't include the increased cost in clothing, which is 12% more on average in plus sizes than regular. Also, I don't know about other women here, but how fast do you wear out the inside thighs of your jeans? I'm willing to bet I buy new clothes more frequently than others, because I just wear 'em out faster.

That also doesn't include sick days from work, increased insurance rates, the potential for missed job or education opportunities, or the cost of weight-loss products.

Imagine your monthly budget. Now imagine your monthly budget paying for a major health problem. Imagine that 12% in clothing costs. Imagine the cost of those sick days, those insurance rates, those weight loss products that didn't work.


Ultimately, the question is not "Can I afford to eat right?," but "Can I afford not to?"

I haven't checked that link out yet, but you are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT! Anytime I would catch myself saying certain things (like organic) is "too expensive" I think about how it might COST me MORE later when I have health problems ... I'm still not buying organic, because I just don't trust it yet -- I need to do more research first. I'm sure you're probably talking about a lot more besides organic, but that's just one example. But yes, I definitely agree!

I love the IDEA of organic foods, but in the long run, they just have greater impact. I am a big proponent of local foods, rather than organic melons shipped to me in Germany from Chile. Local is fresher, better for the environment, and CHEAPER! What would posess me to pay $14 for "organic free-range chicken!" when I can go to the farm down the road and get the same stinkin chicken for half that? 

Yes, that is a good point as well. I was actually reading a little story in a magazine today about a family who decided to eat ONLY LOCALLY grown/produced foods for a year (or something like that). I LOVE the idea of growing all my own food, living off the land, etc. I could EASILY live the "Little House on the Prairie/Waltons" lifestyle. Someday I will. I have a few things to accomplish first ... 

If you like the idea of locally grown foods, you might consider joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). I subscribed to a CSA for the first time this year, and for $22/week, I will get fresh, organic, local produce delivered to me for 20 weeks, starting in May.

Here's a link explaining the concept, and it contains links to search the database for farms near you:

http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csa.sh tml

This will probably force me a little out of my comfort zone because I am not used to cooking a variety of vegetables, but I am preparing for that and am hopeful that it will also help keep me on track with my healthy eating. Basically, I think it's win-win all around, for me, for the farmers, and for the environment.

When you simply have no choice, you can still eat well on a tight budget. Homemade food is still better for you than processed and prepackaged food, and is often cheaper. If you can't afford organic vegetable, you can at least afford frozen rather than canned - much less salt. You can make baked tortilla chips at a fraction of the cost of bagged. Some canned things are neccessary on a tight budget, but they can be limited.

Dried beans of several varieties....inexpensive additions that are a great source of protein. Whole chickens, rather than boneless are much more cost effective and all you need to do is cut them up and remove the skin. The bones add flavor, or can be saved and boiled for stock. Yogurt used in many different ways, strained to make cheese or mixed with mayo (or sour cream) to stretch and reduce calories.

The more pre-packaged and processed food you can replace with homemade, the better.

Tupperware has some fantastic containers made specifically for fruits and vegetables.  There is a chart on the side that tells you how to adjust the buttons for whatever you put in there.  It has saved me a ton of money on fresh produce.  I have had blueberries and strawberries last weeks instead of days.  And I cut up all my cucumbers, peppers, zuchini, etc.  And they last forever and are ready for salads.  It's a really great $$$ saver.  Just thought I would share the info.

Thanks for the info Tammy, I'll have to check it out!

I haven't checked the link yet, but I know you are right. If I was a size 6, or even 12, I could shop at second hand stores. But at a size 18, there is no point. And on top of that, I wear out my clothe faster than most. Inside thighs of jeans and pants have holes within a year, assuming I wear them once or twice per week, and shirts tend to get stretched, and don't fit nicely after being worn so many times. I have no health issues right now; and I'm lucky to live in Canada, but I know one day that will affect me if I don't fix it. Plus, with people saying that in professional fields jobs are rarer for overweight people; and the fact that job opportunities are decreasing due to the bad economy; I'm starting to be pretty nervous about what will happen to me when I graduate in April if I don't start seriously working harder at losing weight.

Original Post by kathygator:

When you simply have no choice, you can still eat well on a tight budget. Homemade food is still better for you than processed and prepackaged food, and is often cheaper. If you can't afford organic vegetable, you can at least afford frozen rather than canned - much less salt. You can make baked tortilla chips at a fraction of the cost of bagged. Some canned things are neccessary on a tight budget, but they can be limited.

Dried beans of several varieties....inexpensive additions that are a great source of protein. Whole chickens, rather than boneless are much more cost effective and all you need to do is cut them up and remove the skin. The bones add flavor, or can be saved and boiled for stock. Yogurt used in many different ways, strained to make cheese or mixed with mayo (or sour cream) to stretch and reduce calories.

The more pre-packaged and processed food you can replace with homemade, the better.

I always hear people talk about how bad processed foods are for you compared to homemade foods.  Never provide a bit of evidence of this.  It's just another example of how people automatically assume that Joe Farmer is a better guy than Joe CEO.

Original Post by kisteel:

I always hear people talk about how bad processed foods are for you compared to homemade foods.  Never provide a bit of evidence of this.

 I think the evidence is when you look at the list of ingredients of two products - one homemade, one bought.

Take a simple thing like bread. Make it yourself and it uses what...3 or 4 ingredients. Look at the processsed, packaged equivalent and see the endless lists of unpronounceable chemicals, preservatives and weird things like hydrogenated fats and sugars in it. I would rather know and be able to control whats going into my body. with processed food you lose all that control.

The evidence about the problem with processed food is all around, sadly.  One concrete piece is the rise in medical problems associated in part with excess salt consumption.   The average consumer of a Western Diet (US, UK etc.,) consumes 10g salt per day when the recommended max is 6g.  The amount of salt typically added at the table or in cooking is 4g per day.  The rest comes from ready-made, processed foods which have to be liberally salted to make them last a reasonable amount of time on the shelf and to mask the the poor quality ingredients.  

Anyone who has tried to reduce their salt consumption to <6g (or 2400mg sodium) will find it's much more difficult to do so if they keep eating a lot of processed foods.   Joe Farmer is not automatically better than Joe CEO but, simply put..... Joe Farmer's potato is more nutritious when it's been freshly baked  in my oven than after it's been through a  factory, turned into starch, extruded into fries, pre-fried, dipped in preservatives, frozen, travelled several hundred miles etc., etc....

Extrapolate the salt problem to include the cumulative effect of 30 - 40 - 50 years on a diet high in colourings, flavourings, sugars, stabilisers, thickeners, trans-fats, etc. .... and you've got the root of many other medical problems not seen in cultures where the cuisine is significantly less dependent on convenience foods.