Health experts are concerned that Americans will put on “recession pounds.” Numerous studies link obesity and unhealthy eating habits to low incomes, so if we are all broke we may all get fat!

As we are cutting back on spending, we may start to cut back on healthy and more expensive items like fresh produce and fish.

“People … are going to economize and as they save money on food they will be eating more empty calories or foods high in sugar, saturated fats and refined grains, which are cheaper,” said Adam Drewnowski, the director of the Nutrition Sciences Program at the University of Washington in Seattle.”Things are going to get worse,” he told Reuters in a telephone interview. “Obesity is a toxic result of a failing economic environment.” He added that studies in California suggested that a 10 percent rise in poverty translates into about a 6 percent increase in obesity among adults.- Yahoo News/Reuters

This totally makes sense. I mean if you’re broke what are you going to buy- a beautiful, organic, high-priced meal or an artificially flavored, high sodium, high trans fat, packaged thing-a-ma-going that costs next to nothing at the deli? Crappy food is cheaper and if we’re all loosing our jobs then we may loose our ability to eat well too.

Personally, if need be I will gladly charge my healthy food purchases. I’m not going to feel bad racking up debt if it’s in the name of health. Sorry, but no matter how bad the economy gets I refuse to eat off the McDonald’s Value Menu ( although I do dig them salty, fatty fries once in a great while).

But here’s the thing, you can eat healthy on a budget. It may take some effort, but a poor economy is no excuse to letting yourself go. Sadly many folks still don’t know how to eat healthy and prevent disease and obesity (ugh, ever see a mom with a shopping cart full of crappy foods and her chubby kids gleefully picking out sugary cereals for her to buy? It’s tragic). takepart and visit The American Heart Association at http://www.americanheart.org/ for info on eating right, exercise and taking care of your body.