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Christopher Ruhm … examined statewide mortality fluctuations in the U.S. between 1972 and 1991 and found that a 1% rise in a state’s unemployment rate led to a 0.6% decrease in total mortality. … In a review of such studies … Stephen Bezruchka … suggests the results could be explained by declines in smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and overeating during recessions as people look for ways to save money.
A higher risk of unemployment is associated with reduced consumption of fruits and vegetables and increased consumption of “unhealthy” foods such as snacks and fast food. … Among individuals predicted to be at highest risk of being unemployed, a one percentage point increase in the resident state’s unemployment rate is associated with … a 2-4% reduction in the frequency of fruits and vegetables consumption, and an 8% reduction in the consumption of salad.
Either we can cross “eat healthier” off the list of possible ways unemployment helps health, or maybe fruits and veggies aren’t as healthy, and fast food as unhealthy, as we suppose.
Beware Fruits, Veggies?
It's probably fruits and vegetables aren't as healthy as we think, especially salads.Also if your actually poor, you don't eat cakes and burgers, you eat rice and beans. That's why they are better. McDonalds isn't cheap, paying 5 bucks a meal is a lot for a lot of people i know.
It is very difficult to show statistically that life style change decreases death rate. For instance prospective studies of cholesterol lowering lowering by diet finally succeeded in showing that cardiovascular disease was reduced but the death rate remained the same. Now using satins on healthy populations the death rate has not been reduced. These are prospective studies,the best kind.
With this in mind,combining the two separate retrospective studies such as the ones mentioned will generate hypotheses that are entertaining or humorous at best.