Hunger, obesity: two sides of same coin.

• Position: Weight Control - Research links poverty to obesity - Brief Article

Hunger and obesity not only pose separate and distinct health risks, but can coexist in the same household, relates a joint analysis released by the Center on Hunger and Poverty at Brandeis University, Waltham, Mass., and the Food Research and Action Center, Washington, D.C. The apparent paradox of expanding waistlines and persistent hunger in America is driven in part by economics.

Households without money to buy enough food change their purchasing and eating habits--relying on cheaper, high-calorie goods over more expensive, nutrient-rich foods--before they cut back on the amount they consume. In order to cope with limited budgets while staving off hunger, families try to maximize caloric intake for each dollar spent, which can lead to overconsumption of calories and a less healthful diet.

Research among low-income families shows that mothers first sacrifice their own nutrition by restricting their intake during periods of food insufficiency in order to protect their children from hunger. The resulting chronic fluctuations in diet can...