Where You Live Could Be Making You Fat

I just came across this interesting pitch from Chef2Chef.net, a leading culinary web portal, recently released “Supermarket Secrets,” an infographic exploring the role supermarkets play in healthy eating decisions. The infographic suggests that grocery shopping habits are influenced by lifestyle, income and education, all of which play an important role when it comes to making healthy choices.
Living near a supermarket may play a significant role in healthy eating, according to a French study that found a correlation between higher body mass index (BMI), larger waist circumference and living far away from a supermarket. This is especially concerning because a 2009 U.S. Department of Agriculture study reported that 23 million Americans do not live within one mile of a grocery store. The same study found that people with high incomes are twice as likely to live near a supermarket as people with low incomes.
“One health benefit that is sometimes overlooked is how close one is to a supermarket,” said Heidi Agustin, spokesperson for Chef2Chef.net. “Access to stores that offer fresh produce and high-quality brands is an important factor in the development of good eating habits for individuals and their families.”
I never even considered that proximity to a supermarket would have anything to do with obesity, but depending upon where you live, you could be setting yourself and your family up for a lifetime of weight issues. Even though I do binge from time to time, I have to say that this year, I’ve made a conscious decision to cut out ice cream at night, have not eaten any frozen dinners and included greek yogurt in my daily diet. And I have to say, I feel so much better and dropped two sizes. Losing weight can be difficult – especially if you are obese, but all it takes is making smart decisions about what you’re putting in your mouth. Take a look at the Chef2Chef infographic for some more interesting facts about the obesity rate in our country and how supermarkets or lack of them play a role in sabotaging many Americans who don’t have access to healthy options.

Courtesy of: Chef2Chef.net