Two chocolate bars for the price of one, the Jumbo bag of Chips, or the discounted use of a range of energy drinks: There are often foods with a high content of fat, sugar or salt, which are in the supermarket in the offer. In fact, a study by Cancer Research UK showed that almost half of all chocolate, crisps, Popcorn and savoury Snacks purchased in the special offer. For their study, the researchers analyzed the data of 16,000 UK households with a view to their purchasing behaviour, demographic and socio-economic characteristics as well as the size and weight of the buyers.
The disturbing outcome of the investigation: Who fills offered in the supermarket, the shopping cart, especially with the special, is more likely to be overweight or even obese. For the authors this is particularly worrisome because Obesity applies in the meantime as a high-risk factor for at least 13 types of cancer. The experts are therefore advocating to regulate the offerings by law.
In the bargain group, around three out of four people were overweight
The buyers they divided into four groups, sorted according to the proportion of items that were cheaper bought. The result: In the group that particularly many special offers access, 72 percent of people are overweight, while this percentage was higher in the group with a few offer purchases 64 per cent. For obesity, i.e. particularly strong or morbid Obesity, was increase the likelihood of in the bargain hunters group in order to 28 percent. Those trends were apparent across all age and income groups.
In addition, offer buyers for a fifth opted for more food, containing much fat, salt or sugar at the expense of healthier options: bargain lovers also bought 30 per cent less fruit and almost 25 percent less vegetables. This corresponds to approximately four kilograms less fruit and vegetables per month to avoid the case of buyers, which tend special offers.
Overall, the shopping cart, this group contained more sugar and less fibre than that of other consumers. An observation that is not surprising the nutritional psychologists Joachim West höfer of the University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg: In an independent classification of the report, he pointed out that the connection between a high-energy-density foods with a relatively low price is known for some time.
“Stinginess is cool”mentality
“Food today is so cheap as never before,” he says. “The result is an unhealthy over-consumption.” In Germany there are no comparable studies, but similar results would probably be: “Just food mentality in this country, a “greed is good” -.”
Linda Bauld, prevention expert from Cancer Research UK, says in a communication to the study: “promotions provide people with a Wealth of tempting, but unhealthy food and drinks. At discounted prices for chocolate, biscuits, cake and lemonade, it’s no Surprise that people buy more deals, have a greater probability of being obese.”
The results of the study authors, mainly from two reasons: For one, it be especially the children that suffered the consequences of such purchasing behavior. Even now, every fifth elementary school students in the UK are overweight, according to the primary school, the proportion increases to one-third.
In Germany, around 15 percent of children and Teenagers between 3 and 17 years of age according to the Robert Koch Institute to thick. Nearly six percent are even obese. In the case of the adults in this country, 59 percent of men and 37 percent of women, according to Figures from the German society for nutrition as overweight.
Being overweight increases the risk of cancer
The second reason why the British authors are sounding the Alarm: Obesity is now seen as a risk factor for at least 13 types of cancer, including colon and breast cancer. Probably an Overproduction of hormones promotes cancer growth. Even more important, according to the scientists, to facilitate consumers a healthy choice when shopping. You plead, therefore, to regulate promotions for unhealthy foods by law. The same should be bars for the selection of chocolate and the like are given, which are often in the checkout area.
In fact, a British study had revealed last year that almost a fifth landed less the appropriate Snacks in the shopping cart, if supermarkets are this from the checkout area and the exiles.
Joachim West höfer holds legal regulations in Germany for superior value. Currently, the policy relies on voluntary self-commitments by the industry. “But not enough to get the obesity epidemic in the handle,” says the food psychologist.
Processed meat (salted, smoked, salted) such as sausage or ham
Since the year 2015 apply to meat products such as Salami, Vienna and Kassel as a carcinogen: An Agency of the world health organization, WHO, classified the processed meat as a “carcinogen”. Regular consumption increases, therefore, the risk for colorectal cancer.
Sausages are of the highest cancer risk level, as well as the tobacco Smoking. This classification is not made in 2015, a sensation, an insight into the actual risk classification. It simply means that studies have proven the risk for both triggers convincing.
As Stiftung Warentest in the current edition writes, the risk of dying from the consequences of Smoking, approximately 175 Times higher: “tobacco is not going to be for a year, 6 million deaths, processed meat for 34,000”.
How to reduce the risk of cancer?
According to the WHO, a frequent consumption of more than 50 grams of sausage increases the risk of colon cancer by 18 percent. If you want to reduce the risk, should avoid the consumption of processed meat””.