Food and debt

"People in financial debt are more likely to be obese, concludes a study from Germany that adds to concern that healthier foods cost more than energy-dense foods of low nutritional value.

The current financial squeeze has implications for household spending, and people may borrow more to make ends meet. In Germany, where the new study was conducted in 2006-7, 7.6 per cent of households (more than 6 million people) are over-indebted.

The researchers, led by Prof Eva Münster of the University of Mainz, noted that the link between socio-economic status, health and over-weight is well-documented but over-indebtedness has not been included in definitions of socio-economic status."