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Overcoming Bias Commenter's avatar

One does not simply overcome bias.

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Overcoming Bias Commenter's avatar

This is ridiculous. As many commenters have pointed out, there are any number of reasons why poverty might and does cause obesity and a good number of others in which it'd cause the opposite.

When I was a poor student I ate a lot more fast food but when I had little money left till the end of the week I bought discounted, unhealthy but small ready-meals. The former behaviour piled it on whilst the latter was portion control.

Now I spend as much money as I like on food generally (i don't exactly like to invest it wisely) and yes it does include days with too many packs of crisps (potato chips to you) and never a cheeseless fridge but there's also much less of a psychological need for fast food now that I don't feel so out in the cold, less in need of comfort. Plus smoked salmon tastes so good. This is the thing. I once treated a girlfriend to a fancy restaurant and we ate every bite so slowly and with so much pleasure that she said "Now I know why rich women are thin. It's so delicious you almost don't care if there's only a little"

There's certainly a strong overall correlation in Britain but for us it seems obvious why it might not be so clear cut in the US. Your portions are huge. I was stunned at how much KFC a little money could buy you. The whole cheery hospitality thing you have over there is brilliant but nothing says "you're welcome" better than a well piled plate.So if you're well off enough to regularly dine out at the kind of TFI Friday tier, you'd struggle to maintain your weight. 

Clearly the question needs to be broken down into smaller parts but poverty does cause obesity and so does being well off.

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