Societal Factors

"In the United States, many societal factors influence the number of calories burned in a day. Escalators, moving walkways, and elevators, not to mention cars, are common modes of transportation that reduce average daily energy expenditure. Office work, high-stress jobs, and occupations requiring extended working hours are all societal pressures that reduce the time allotted for exercise for large populations of Americans. Even the remote controls that many have for various electronic devices in their homes contribute to US society being less active. More obesogenic factors were discussed in the weight management section of this chapter. Socioeconomic status has been found to be inversely proportional to weight gain. One reason for this relationship is that inhabitants of low-income neighborhoods have reduced access to safe streets and parks for walking. Another is that fitness clubs are expensive and few are found in lower-income neighborhoods. The recent and long-lasting economic crisis in this country is predicted to have profound effects on the average body weight of Americans. The number of homeless people in this country is rising, with many children and adults living in hotels and cars. As you can imagine, neither of these “home spaces” has a kitchen, making it impossible to cook nutritious meals and resulting in increased economically forced access to cheap, unhealthy foods, such as those at a nearby gas station."