In one of the documentaries of HBO, it was revealed that obesity cases are more prevalent among the people who live within the poverty line. These are individuals and families who supposedly do not have enough money for basic needs, and yet their bodies show destructive abundance.
What's even more concerning is obesity starts young for many of them. A report shows that a lot of schoolchildren in the United States, mainly, find it difficult to turn away from junk food. Plus, they opt to eat when dealing with the stresses of their early life, setting them for a future with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, kidney problems.
The correlation between obesity and poverty is the result of a variety of factors, such as culture, living locations, educational attainment, and family lifestyle, to cite a few.
Change in Mentality -The Solution to the Obesity and Poverty Correlation
After observing the population of immigrants from Central and Southeast Asia, health professionals recognized that culture and mentality makes all the difference when it comes to health and wealth.
They note that it's rather uncommon for these Asian immigrants to suffer from obesity and other wealth-related health woes. What's rather common are families that rear children who succeed academically and professionally, and are fit.
This should not be a surprise that such a group of people defies the obesity-poverty situation everywhere. According to the OECD of 2014, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore are low-rankers in global obesity rates. This can likewise be attributed to these people's strong culture of hard work, and the tradition of home-cooked, vegetable-based meals for the family.
What does this imply, though? This goes to show that with a change in mentality, the right habits can be formed. Everybody, therefore, can gain health and wealth. Nobody has to accept that because they are economically-challenged, their quality of health has to suffer as well. It's all about making the right choices.
The Habits to Cultivate for Health and Wealth
Stop watching too much TV.
Limiting TV-watching to just a couple of hours a day is the way to go. This is the practice of successful people. They do not waste their precious time watching TV for more than an hour or two a day, because there are more valuable things to do.
Instead of feeding a TV addiction, they would rather organize their home, learn something by reading a book or taking a free course online or improve their health through exercise.
You will also find that even if a lot of them do not own a diverse collection of home gym equipment, exercise is very much a part of their lives. Many of them walk to places. Or, they swim, hike, bike, or run around their neighbourhoods during their free time. They do not sit in front of the TV for hours, with a beer and a bag of chips in hand.
Eat for sustenance and not to feel full.
There is a considerable disparity between sustenance and satiety. People who eat for sustenance focus on the quality of their food. Meanwhile, those who are concerned about feeling full due to food insecurity will normally gravitate toward deals that offer more for less.
If you wish to manage your finances better and be healthier, focus on sustenance with high-quality food - it is one of the best strategies to implement. Its long-term impact beats the network of health issues and medical costs of people who always eat to feel full face.
Spend more time outdoors.
The Money Making Page recommends going outside often as a habit for success not just in growing wealth but also in improving the overall quality of life. Staying at home most of the time closes your mind to possibilities. You make your world small and diminish your real value as an individual.
So, head to your local park. Or, take a weekly bus trip to a nearby hiking trail. When you head out more, you benefit from the better mood exposure to vitamin D from the sun brings. At the same time, you also discover the needs of the bigger world that you actually have the power to address, even if you do not have a lot of money yet.
And lastly, stay active.
There's nothing like an active lifestyle to help you manage your weight and be more productive with your time. Studies show that active people - meaning those who exercise regularly or take part in a lot of non-exercise activities tend to have a higher life expectancy.
Also, being active keeps the mind fresh and one's disposition more optimistic. Psychologists say that the brain views physical activity as an indicator of competence in dealing with all kinds of situations. This somehow means that if you are active, you are more likely to think and act in ways that are most advantageous for your life.
'Want to test this theory? Start jogging, lifting weights, or climb up and down the stairs of your building. You will find that dedicating 30 to 40 minutes to physical activity before working on something can give you a confidence boost. You just feel great and in-charge, which is the perfect mindset in achieving any goal.
Indeed, habits make all the difference. Thus, develop the habits for change listed above if you wish to quash the obesity and poverty curse.
The content is intended to augment, not replace, information provided by your clinician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Reading this information does not create or replace a doctor-patient relationship or consultation. If required, please contact your doctor or other health care provider to assist you in interpreting any of this information, or in applying the information to your individual needs.
