The Impacts of Economy on Healthy Childhood Weight

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According to local news and a recent study of California school children, unemployment rates can increase a child’s risk of becoming an unhealthy weight.

Researcher and lead author of the study, Vanessa Oddo from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore explained that there is a trickle down effect that impact kids health. Researchers studied California’s unemployment levels and house foreclosures from 2008 to 2012 along with heights and weights of 1.7 million school-aged children, more than half Latino, from the state’s department of education.

Students body mass index (BMI)’s were compared with economic indicators showing for every one percent increase in unemployment in a community, children had a 14% increase in BMI. However, foreclosure had a reverse effect, where every one percent increase in foreclosures, a three percent drop in risk for obesity in children was reported.

Researchers conclude that families who suffer from unemployment may have to stop funding extracurricular activities that led to more exercise for kids, and families may also be left with buying cheaper processed foods, instead of fresh vegetables and fruits.

On the other hand, families that were evicted or dealt with foreclosure may be experiencing a lower budget in general, and therefore only able to buy the most basic foods, leading to weight loss.

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