Spring Break
Thinning wallets leading to wider waists
JP Coleman, News Editor, jpcolema@smu.edu
Issue date: 7/1/09 Section: News
Hardy says with the loss of his wife's income most of their "fun money" got taken away and they really have to stretch their money where they can.
"Dollar menus at McDonalds, value menus at Wendy's, you name it you are getting a good value," Hardy said. "You can feed my family of four for fifteen bucks."
He added it was mostly he and his wife feeling the effects.
"The kids, you know, they could eat anything and not gain an ounce, but my wife and I have to step up the work outs, too bad we had to cancel the gym membership though," He said. "I guess recessions just make you fat."
A study in the January issue of Public Health Nutrition shows that recessionary eating habits can have long lasting effects on families.
The study found that families that ate fast food for dinner three or four - or more - times per week were more likely to have a home food environment that consisted more of salty and sweet snacks and soda rather than healthier fruits and vegetables.
"It becomes a psychological thing," Knoxville said. "You eat all that fatty fast food and your body starts to crave it, so that's what you snack on, not healthy fruits and vegetables."
The study was a part of Project EAT: Eating Among Teens. It was designed to see the relationship between fast food families and eating habits of the family's children and teens. In addition to eating fewer fruits and vegetables and drinking less milk, the study showed that parents of fast food families were significantly more likely to be obese.
Knoxville suggested that rather than eating out at fast food places it can be just as cost effective to make home cooked meals. Buying foods in bulk can also help he said. You can get large quantities of frozen vegetables and frozen meat like chicken breast for near pocket change at a wholesaler like Sam's Club.
"It is possible to eat healthy even when money is tight," Knoxville said. "You are probably already sacrificing a lot, don't sacrifice your health also."
"Dollar menus at McDonalds, value menus at Wendy's, you name it you are getting a good value," Hardy said. "You can feed my family of four for fifteen bucks."
He added it was mostly he and his wife feeling the effects.
"The kids, you know, they could eat anything and not gain an ounce, but my wife and I have to step up the work outs, too bad we had to cancel the gym membership though," He said. "I guess recessions just make you fat."
A study in the January issue of Public Health Nutrition shows that recessionary eating habits can have long lasting effects on families.
The study found that families that ate fast food for dinner three or four - or more - times per week were more likely to have a home food environment that consisted more of salty and sweet snacks and soda rather than healthier fruits and vegetables.
"It becomes a psychological thing," Knoxville said. "You eat all that fatty fast food and your body starts to crave it, so that's what you snack on, not healthy fruits and vegetables."
The study was a part of Project EAT: Eating Among Teens. It was designed to see the relationship between fast food families and eating habits of the family's children and teens. In addition to eating fewer fruits and vegetables and drinking less milk, the study showed that parents of fast food families were significantly more likely to be obese.
Knoxville suggested that rather than eating out at fast food places it can be just as cost effective to make home cooked meals. Buying foods in bulk can also help he said. You can get large quantities of frozen vegetables and frozen meat like chicken breast for near pocket change at a wholesaler like Sam's Club.
"It is possible to eat healthy even when money is tight," Knoxville said. "You are probably already sacrificing a lot, don't sacrifice your health also."
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