Millions of Americans have tried the latest fad diets but have found they were too expensive for their budgets.
One of the leading food price experts agreed that the expenses of these diets are high and stated that the average weekly cost for the Atkins diet was $100 while the South Beach Diet costs approximately $90 a week.
Statistics have shown that most people cannot afford to eat "healthy," according to these diets at least, and instead have no choice but to shop to fit their budgets. This means that they end up purchasing low-cost items such as hot dogs and refined carbohydrates instead of healthier, more expensive items like salmon and fresh fruit and vegetables. Experts believed situations such as these might result in losing the war on obesity due to the high costs of buying and eating healthy.
Research was conducted on the relationship between lower-income families and higher percentages of overweight people.
Findings From the Research:
60.5 percent of the people who earned incomes of $15,000 to $75,000 were overweight, compared to the 56 percent who earned over $75,000.
26 percent of the people who were at the poverty level, which included incomes of $17,000 or less, were considered obese.
Experts claimed there has been a growing misperception of viewing obese people as lazy and stated if these people had the financial means to buy healthier foods, they would.
Another study found that lower-income families living in urban areas typically frequented smaller convenience stores that offered a small selection of overpriced foods with little variety of fresh fruits or vegetables.
USA Today May 2, 2004
The bottom line is that Americans spend 90 percent of the money they spend on food on processed foods and fast foods. These foods offer no nutritional value and can be damaging to your health in the long run.
I realize that these foods can be less expensive, but in the long run they will end up costing you more in the health care costs that will result from eating these foods, which have little nutritional value and are typically loaded with artificial chemicals.
Although it can be challenging, there are ways to develop healthy eating habits for yourself and your family without exhausting your income.
If you read this past article, you will find some tips on shopping for healthy foods while keeping within your budget.
In addition to eating habits, another inexpensive way to control your weight is through walking or other exercise. With walking, you don't have to worry about costs and it fits conveniently into most schedules. There isn't a lot of planning required and you can start by walking around your neighborhood. In order to experience weight loss, I recommend starting with 30 minutes a day, then increasing your time and pace steadily as you become more fit.
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