A study from America has shown that where you live affects how heavy you are.

Put starkly: the wealthier your neighbourhood the less likely you are to be overweight. (The figures from the study are that: for each additional $100,000 in the median price of homes, obesity rates in a given post code drop 2 percent).

What’s more property values (used as the measure of wealth and poverty) are more important than education or income. This is because wealth is not the same as income - you can be on a high income and spend it all so that you don’t end up wealthy.

The study team was lead by Dr. Adam Drewnowski, director of the University of Washington Exploratory Center for Obesity Research. He makes the point succinctly when he says:

“Obesity is an economic issue”

The study was a telephone survey conducted in Seattle, the capital of the state of Washington in the US. The difference between the richest and poorest post codes was quite distinct. Obesity of 30% in the poorest areas and only 5% in the richest.

While individuals eating right and keeping fit is important, there is obviously more to the obesity story than individual effort.

What do you find influences your eating and exercising? How do you think where you live effects how you eat and exercise?