Inadequate access to food can lead to obesity

According to a recent study, those with inadequate access to food are likely to suffer from obesity.

Food insecurity, by definition, is the inability to acquire adequate food due to a lack of resources. As part of the study, researchers assessed the link between food-related hardships and obesity. The study was published in the Journal of Community Health.

Results showed that the individuals who lived in food desert (geographic areas where residents do not have access to supermarkets or grocery stores) are at an elevated risk for obesity.

Together, these findings suggest that people who either do not have enough to eat or live in areas without access to stores that sell affordable nutritious foods are at greater risk for obesity.

“The lack of access to food can be a major stressor on individuals, and our study finds that experiencing food hardships is particularly consequential for the health of women," said Jackson, one of the lead researchers.