SEATTLE—Shoppers who buy their groceries at low-cost supermarkets are 10 times more likely to be obese compared to those who shop at upscale markets, according to research from the University of Washington, reports MSNBC.
The study found 4 percent of Whole Foods Market shoppers in the Seattle area were obese, while 38 percent of Albertson shoppers are obese. Patrons of more expensive stores in the area, such as Metropolitan Market, Puget Consumers Cooperative (PCC) and Quality Food Centers (QFC) had lower rates of obesity (8 percent, 12 percent and 17 percent, respectively), while shoppers at the lower-cost stores Fred Meyer (22 percent) and Safeway (24 percent) had higher rates.
In the study, researchers studied 2,001 shoppers in the Seattle area between December 2008 and March 2009, tracking their choice of supermarkets and comparing it with their education, income and obesity rates. They measured obesity by asking consumers to report their height and weight, then calculating body mass index (BMI). People with a BMI higher than 30 were identified as obese. The study was paid for by a three-year, $1.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The article noted poverty is a key factor that underlies both obesity and choice of grocery store.
