If you’re not careful, this economy could kill you!
Okay, that might be going a little far.
But the truth is there is evidence to show that the health of the general population suffers in an economic downturn. Some of those unhealthy habits come from people “trying” to cut costs, others come when we look for ways to cope. Dealing with things like unemployment, debt and other financial issues can certainly cause some stress.
Fat drunk and stressed out is a stupid way to go through life. So before you become another statistic – take a look at what happens to our health in tough times.
Let’s get one thing straight right off the bat. The only person I have to blame for my growing beer gut is myself. Same goes for you! Sure, it would be nice if I could blame it all on the economy, but that’s just a joke.
We are all responsible for our own decisions, and as it turns out, we tend to make bad decisions during times like this.
Cheap Comfort Food
McDonald’s net income in the third quarter of 2011 by 9% despite a global economic slowdown.
The bigwigs at McDonald’s say that success is because of their “premium” coffee and new “wholesome” breakfast choices. But that’s only part of the story.
Another thing McDonald’s did was add more items to its Dollar Menu. That was a move designed to attract customers with hungry tummies and almost-empty wallets. Pizza Hut did the same thing with it’s $10 pizza deal, and the rest of the fast-food pizza chains have followed suit.
Bloomberg has a pair of restaurant indexes, which found that the fast food industry as a whole is up 4% this year while full-service restaurants are down 9%.
Fast food becomes an attractive option when money is tight – of course it’s not exactly a healthy option. We still want to go out for a meal, but we don’t want to spend a lot. In the end, we might be paying for it anyway.
The United States is already the fattest nation in the world, and obesity leads to a whole host of serious health problems, from diabetes to heart disease.
The Reality: Wanting the convenience of fast food is understandable, but for the sake of your health, try cutting out the fast food and go to nicer full-service restaurants and make healthier choices – just go out to eat a little less often. If you visit locally-owned establishments you’ll also be helping boost the local economy by keeping more money closer to home.
Drowning Our Sorrows
There are actually conflicting studies about drinking alcohol during economic downturns.
One of the most recent was a long-term study conducted by the University of Miami from 2001-2005 involving 43,000 people. Researchers found that when the unemployment rate rises, there is also an increase in alcohol abuse and drunken driving.
“We are one of the first to show that, even though incomes decline for most people during an economic downtown, they still increase problematic or risky drinking,” says Michael T. French, a health economist with the University of Miami.
The study found that even those who were employed were more likely to drink excessively when unemployment worsened.
Those findings conflict with the logical idea that people will spend less on the luxury of liquor when there’s a recession. Other researchers say that historically, alcohol consumption decreases during economic depressions.
However, the National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health finds rates of substance abuse and addiction are twice as high among those who are unemployed compared to those with jobs.
The Reality: It’s cool if you have a couple cocktails to relax on the weekend, or tip back a few after a stressful day…every now and then. But we all know that guzzling down a six-pack won’t solve anything. If you’re already out of a job and facing financial hardship – adding alcohol issues to your list of problems is a bad idea.
Stress & All the Rest
Eating greasy food and drinking booze are often ways we deal with the stress caused by our personal economic concerns.
Last year, the American Psychological Association’s Stress in America Survey found that 75% of Americans said they were stressed out to the max. The biggest contributors were money, the economy and work.
APA CEO, psychologist Dr. Norman Anderson says “All of us, including the medical community, need to take stress seriously since stress could easily become our next public health crisis.”
Stress is a cause of many different health issues – both physical and mental. Many say it is even a contributing cause to some cancers.
Worrying about money can also lead to a lack of proper health care. Cutbacks in health benefits have been a common theme in many workplaces because of rising health care costs for both employer and employee. That has meant some people put of necessary medical treatments.
For instance – there are people who stop going to the dentist when their employer discontinues dental coverage. Others may avoid going to the doctor when they get sick, and still others stop taking their medication completely.
The chairman of the American Academy of Family Physicians told the NY Times that he sees patients stop taking things like cholesterol-lowering pills and osteoporosis medication because they feel they can’t afford it.
There are those who say decisions like this could lead to more widespread health problems, which would only increase health care costs further.
On the other hand – some people would argue that Americans are already over-medicated, and looking for other ways to improve your health could be better than popping another pill. The number of prescriptions filled between 1997 and 2007 increased 72%.
The Reality: There could very well be some medications you take that you could survive without. But there are also medications that are life-savers. Remember that the best kind of medical care is prevention. That means taking care of your body by making healthy choices – unlike downing Big Macs and Bud Light every day.
YOUR TURN
How do you deal with financial stress? Got any healthy solutions? Leave us a comment and let us know!
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+Kasey Steinbrinck provides helpful personal finance tips on behalf of online check printer Check Advantage. Visit the site to order personal checks online including Cool Checks and Christian Checks. Get free content for your blog or website when you contact Kasey for more information.
