“Across England, there are 8.2 fast-food outlets per 10,000 people, and 11.6 in the poorest parts of the country, according to Public Health England, a government agency.” (The Economist, 2018, p.29).

Parents concerned about paying rent and keeping the electricity on are less likely to think about cooking a healthy dinner.

One experiment found that subjects who were asked to memorise a long string of numbers were more likely than others to pick a chocolate cake over a fruit salad. Stress has a similar effect.

In 2002-12 the most nutritious foods, like vegetables and unprocessed meats, were pricier than unhealthy meals such as pizzas and burgers – and that price gap grew each year by about 10p ($0.13) per 1,000 calories.

Reference

The Economist. (2018) Childhood Obesity: Big Little Ones. The Economist. 02 June 2018.