According to a new study, for each additional $100,000 in the median price of homes, obesity rates in a given ZIP code (postcode), dropped by 2%. Researchers found that in the Seattle metropolitan area, obesity rates reached 30% in the most deprived areas, but were only around 5% in the most affluent ZIP codes.
This study is the first to examine obesity rates by area-based indexes of poverty and wealth across a metropolitan area, as other studies had focused on the high obesity rates among racial and ethnic minorities and groups of lower education and incomes. The disparities among different ethnic groups and those on low salaries were much lower than those dependent on ZIP codes and geographic location.
Area prosperity was also a good predictor of access to healthy foods or opportunities for exercise.
Source: ScienceDaily.com, 29 August 2007