A French poet named Nicolas Boileau once explained, “With poverty everything becomes frightful.” These wise words are true, as poverty is quite an undesired experience, with numerous detriments to one’s health and happiness. Unfortunately, more than 45 million U.S. citizens live below the poverty line (Gongloff). These less fortunate people must undergo several short-term and long-term challenges. Living in poverty causes obesity, physical health issues, and mental health issues.

One major negative effect of poverty is an increased likeliness of developing obesity. For example, according to a 2011 study, 31.8% of people living in poverty face obesity. Meanwhile, 26% of people not living in poverty are obese (Brown). It is clear that the amount of people considered obese among the poor is significantly higher than that of people of higher social classes. Additionally, the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) explains that many people living in poverty lack access to imperative resources. More often than not, stores that sell healthy foods are not available to people living in poor areas; therefore, they usually frequent small grocery stores. However, these grocery stores typically do not sell many healthy foods, but when they are available, they may be expensive and not of sufficient quality (Mukherjee). Those who do not have consistent access to essential foods tend to overeat when food does become available, leading to weight gain (FRAC). Furthermore, neighborhoods in which many people live in poverty commonly have a greater exposure to unhealthy foods, since there is also a larger presence of fast food restaurants in impoverished areas (FRAC). People have certain food budgets, and purchase foods that are high in fat and calories, and dense in energy, which is why they resort to fast food and become obese (Lee). Finally, it is clear that people who are living in poverty tend to exercise inadequately, due to the fact that they have less opportunities for physical activities (FRAC). Besides the fact that some parents are unable to afford to put their children in organized sports, gyms and parks in poor areas might not be safe, attractive, nor available. Therefore, both children and adults living in poverty are usually unable to exercise as much as they should. Obesity is definitely a significant effect of living in poverty.

In addition to obesity, poverty has a strong relation to many other physical health issues. “The American Lung Association reports that low-income and minority Americans live in areas with worse air qualities” (Mukherjee). This is because impoverished areas tend to be industrial in which there is an increased amount of sources of pollution. Living in areas of lower air qualities can worsen certain conditions, such as diabetes and asthma, as well as cause kidney problems, low birth weights, and deaths (Mukherjee). Also, poverty is commonly linked to smoking and illegal drug use, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (Gregoire). In several studies, it has been noted that people with a lower income are more likely to turn to smoking or illegal drug use, as these can serve as coping methods. In addition, “Many low-income people lack access to basic health care, or if health care is available, it is lower quality” (FRAC). As a result of this, people cannot get the treatment that they need for illnesses, causing further health problems that may last for quite a while, or recur. Clearly, poverty is a major cause of several physical health issues.

Lastly, living in poverty results in the development of mental health issues. For instance, numerous people living in poverty are extremely stressed out. This is typically a result when money is scarce and there are constant bills to be paid (Lee). Also, studies show that low-income people are more at risk to have sleep disorders, and the lack of sleep can contribute to stress (Gregoire). Becoming stressed leads to a variety of other health issues. Moreover, 30.9% of people living in poverty, and 15.8% of people not living in poverty, are depressed (Brown). This depression can be caused by several factors of poverty, especially pressure in terms of finances. Finally, children growing up in poverty are more likely to be affected by social and emotional instability (Gregoire). It is evident that important negative effects of poverty include mental health issues.

Some may argue that poverty does not cause as many negative effects as positive effects on one’s health. In the journal, Psychological Science, a study displayed that people who live in poverty show more emotional intelligence and empathy (Gregoire). This point is true in some cases; however, it is more common that people are emotionally unstable as a result of poverty. It is also said that “...Researchers...found that the poor are more likely to give to others and act altruistically, in addition to being more trusting” (Gregoire). However, many people living in poverty receive social threats (Gregoire). Therefore, they would be less trusting, because of their experiences and vulnerability. Additionally, a Vietnamese couple, who spent their lives in poverty, was recognized for being centenarians. The couple lived in the province, Quang Tri, which is one of the poorest provinces in Vietnam. In fact, there are 166 centenarians living in that area (Phuc). Although this is true, the majority of centenarians are residents of the United States, where the amount of people living in poverty is significantly lower than numerous other countries.

Although people may disagree, the negative effects of poverty drastically outweigh the positive. It is apparent that poverty contributes to many problems, including obesity, physical health issues, and mental health issues. The negative outcomes of poverty will continue to linger and worsen in the future. Poverty is inevitable; however, the amount of people living in poverty would drastically reduce if people simply took certain measures to stop it. A few small actions could make a huge difference.