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Americans Closing the Obesity Gap

May 3, 2005
In the United States, the poor and the affluent have something in common; expanding waistlines. A new study presented at a meeting of the American Heart Association says Americans earning $60,000 or more a year are becoming as obese as their less well-off countrymen.

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The study, led by Dr. Jennifer Robinson of the University of Iowa, notes that in most developed countries the poor put on weight, much more so than the more affluent parts of society. But the U.S., she says, is proving to be an exception. Her team bases its conclusions on analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.

The researchers found that in 1970, less than 10 percent of the affluent population was classified as obese. In 2002, that percentage had surged to 26.8 percent. In the same period, the percentage of lower income Americans classified as obese went from 22.5 percent to 32.5 percent.

Affluent people generally have a lower incidence of obesity because they are better able to afford healthy, good quality food, they have better health care, and have access to more information about nutrition. So, why is the obesity gap closing?

The research team says a lot of it could have to do with changing lifestyles.

The more affluent spend more time commuting to work, and once they get there, spend more time in the office. That's a lot of time spent each day in a sitting position, without much activity. Because they're affluent and lead busy lives, they also tend to eat at restaurants more often.

Finally, they say, the affluent are eating in greater quantities than before.

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