"Obesity linked to money insecurity in affluent nations" - report BBC

The BBC reported today that - "People in wealthy countries with "free market" economies are more likely to become obese, an Oxford University study says.

Money stresses in countries like the UK and US could explain their higher obesity levels, compared with countries such as Norway and Sweden.

The study, in Economic and Human Biology, compared obesity in 11 affluent countries from 1994 to 2004.

The researchers said the study showed obesity had "social causes".

Researchers set out to discover why Americans and Britons are heavier than Norwegians and Swedes.

Taking into account research into animal behaviour which shows that animals increase their food intake when faced with uncertainty, the Oxford researchers believed that stress could be a factor in causing people to overeat."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12135537?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter