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Creative Destruction, Economic Insecurity, Stress and Epidemic Obesity

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  • Jon D. Wisman
  • Kevin Capehart

Abstract

The percentage of Americans who are obese has doubled since 1980. Most attempts to explain this "obesity epidemic" have been found inadequate, including the "Big Two" (the increased availability of inexpensive food and the decline of physical exertion). This article explores the possibility that the obesity epidemic is substantially due to growing insecurity, stress, and a sense of powerlessness in modern society where high-sugar and high-fat foods are increasingly omnipresent. Those suffering these conditions may suffer less control over other domains of their lives. Insecurity and stress have been found to increase the desire for high-fat and high sugar foods. After exploring the evidence of a link between stress and obesity, the increasing pace of capitalism's creative destruction and its generation of greater insecurity and stress are addressed. The article ends with reflections on how epidemic obesity is symptomatic of a social mistake –- the seeking of maximum efficiency and economic growth even in societies where the fundamental problem of material security has been solved.

Suggested Citation

  • Jon D. Wisman & Kevin Capehart, 2009. "Creative Destruction, Economic Insecurity, Stress and Epidemic Obesity," Working Papers 2009-13 JEL classificatio, American University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:amu:wpaper:2009-13
    DOI: 10.17606/hrhg-dr72
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    Cited by:

    1. Staudigel, Matthias, 2016. "A soft pillow for hard times? Economic insecurity, food intake and body weight in Russia," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 198-212.
    2. Watson, Barry & Osberg, Lars, 2017. "Healing and/or breaking? The mental health implications of repeated economic insecurity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 119-127.
    3. Jon D. Wisman & Aaron Pacitti, 2017. "Guaranteed Employment and Universal Child Care For a New Social Contract," Working Papers 2017-05, American University, Department of Economics.
    4. Trenton G. Smith & Steven Stillman & Stuart Craig, 2024. "“Rational overeating” in a feast‐or‐famine world: Economic insecurity and the obesity epidemic," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 90(3), pages 634-655, January.
    5. Smith, Trenton G. & Stillman, Steven & Craig, Stuart, 2013. "The U.S. Obesity Epidemic:New Evidence from the Economic Security Index," 2013 Annual Meeting, August 4-6, 2013, Washington, D.C. 151419, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    6. Mohseni-Cheraghlou, Amin, 2016. "The Aftermath of Financial Crises: A Look on Human and Social Wellbeing," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 88-106.
    7. Currie, Phillippa & Smith, Trenton G. & Stillman, Steven, 2014. "Is Job Insecurity Making Australians Fat? Evidence from Panel Data on Perceived Risk of Job Loss," 2014 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2014, Minneapolis, Minnesota 170720, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    8. Watson, Barry & Daley, Angela & Rohde, Nicholas & Osberg, Lars, 2020. "Blown off-course? Weight gain among the economically insecure during the great recession," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    9. Francesca Giambona & Laura Grassini & Daniele Vignoli, 2022. "Detecting economic insecurity in Italy: a latent transition modelling approach," Statistical Methods & Applications, Springer;Società Italiana di Statistica, vol. 31(4), pages 815-846, October.

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    Keywords

    Social gradient obesity; endogenous preferences; cortisol; inequality; thrifty genes; rational choice model;
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