The obesity epidemic

[MandaJo]

@Crafter_Man

I agree the prevalence of fast food has contributed to the obesity epidemic. But I believe the *overall *root cause is the low cost of food. Food is cheaper than it has ever been. Low cost of food → more food consumed.

These are the same thing. People didn’t avoid prepared food and eating out 20, 30, 40 years ago because they had more willpower and family values. They avoided it because it was dramatically more expensive than cooking at home. But now an hour’s take-home pay at minimum wage can feed the whole family off the dollar menu (say $6 take-home, so 4 McDoubles and 2 orders of fries). If that deal had been around in 1950, people would have taken it.

[MandaJo]

@MandaJo

These are the same thing. People didn’t avoid prepared food and eating out 20, 30, 40 years ago because they had more willpower and family values. They avoided it because it was dramatically more expensive than cooking at home. But now an hour’s take-home pay at minimum wage can feed the whole family off the dollar menu (say $6 take-home, so 4 McDoubles and 2 orders of fries). If that deal had been around in 1950, people would have taken it.

Missed window: Looked up the numbers. In 1950, minimum wage was .75, cheeseburgers (single) were .19 and fries were .$10. Even comparing cheeseburgers to McDoubles and whatever size the fries were then to the size they are now, four cheeseburgers and two fries used to be about 10% more than an hours’ gross for someone making minimum wage. Now, 4 McDoubles and two fries (quite a bit more food) is 10% less than minimum wage.

[Crafter_Man]

@MandaJo

They avoided it because it was dramatically more expensive than cooking at home.

True. But food bought at the grocery in the 1940s and 1950s was significantly more expensive than food bought at the grocery today.

Today, food is dirt cheap. And free for lots of people. Hence the reason for the obesity epidemic.

[Crafter_Man]

Let me add:

Back in the 1940s and 1950s, “getting fat” was an expense and luxury most people couldn’t afford. Not only was food expensive, but sitting around on the couch all day was a huge opportunity cost most couldn’t afford.

Today it’s very cheap to get fat (as a percentage of income). And the opportunity cost for sitting around on the couch all day is much much lower than it used to be.

It all comes down to cost.

[MandaJo]

@Crafter_Man

True. But food bought at the grocery in the 1940s and 1950s was significantly more expensive than food bought at the grocery today.

Today, food is dirt cheap. And free for lots of people. Hence the reason for the obesity epidemic.

I am not at all disagreeing with you. I am just pointing out that eating out was also significantly more expensive. All food has gotten cheaper.

[Si_Amigo]

@MandaJo

I am not at all disagreeing with you. I am just pointing out that eating out was also significantly more expensive. All food has gotten cheaper.

And there are more options for eating out now than there ever was before. When I was a kid in the seventies we had to drive 12 miles to get to the nearest McDonald’s; some towns didn’t even have a fast food place. Now they have them in just about every medium sized town along with other chains. Before it was local dinners only and many of them were more bar than diner; not somewhere most people wouldn’t regularly take there family to eat at.

Of course you could say the same thing about gyms; years ago we had to drive 12 miles to get to the YMCA and that was your only choice. Now have work out facilities all over the place.