The Great Recession

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Is the recession making us fat? It’s no secret that Americans, as a whole, are fatter than ever before. Obesity transcends all ages, cultures, and religions. While some question the role that the current economic recession pays in this epidemic (Campbell, 2009), the evidence of this connection is clear. The side effects of hard economic times, increased poverty, stress, and lack of free time as people juggle second and third jobs to make ends meet, push Americans toward the cheapest and quickest meals. Unfortunately, fast food and highly processed foods are the highest in fat and calories and offer little nutritional value. The financial collapse of 2008, the “Great Recession”, as it is often referred to in pop culture, has played a…show more content…
He questions whether “recession obesity”, is a real phenoneum or is it simply that people today are choosing luxury items (ie: flat screen televisions, game stations, tattoos, cellular phones, etc. over- eating healthy foods (Campbell, 2009). It is true that obesity rates were very low during the Great Depression. What Campbell it is not taking into consideration is the tremendous differences between current times and the times in the 1930’s. There were no fast food restaurants in the 1930’s. Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald’s, didn’t open his first restaurant until the 1950’s. Food was scarce for most people during this period. There were very few, if any, local food pantries available for those in need. Welfare (as we know it), had not yet been created as a safety net for those suffering from hunger. Almost a quarter of the work force, 13 to 15 million people, (or more than 20% of the population at that time), were out of work in 1933. Many of these people depended on soup kitchens as their primary source of nutrition during the financial crisis in the 1930’s. (History.Com). It’s difficult to overeat when food is scarce throughout the…show more content…
It’s cheap, convenient, and close to your home or place of business. It is difficult to find a populated area in the United States that is not surrounded by fast food restaurants. Restaurants like McDonald’s, Wendy’s; Burger King and Checker’s can be found every mile or two. The more populated an area, the more likely you will find a fast food restaurant on every corner. In a recession, when money is in short supply, these restaurants become the obvious
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