Residents of low-income nations who own televisions, computers and automobiles are more likely to be obese than people who don't own such commodities, a new study suggests.
The study, which spanned a number of countries classified as high, medium or low income, showed a spike of obesity in households that owned cars, TVs and other technological devices.
Almost 154,000 adults from 17 countries were interviewed for the findings, which were published in the Canadian Medical Journal. Nations labeled "high-income" included Canada, the United Arab Emirates and Sweden; Argentina, Iran, Brazil, Malaysia, China, South Africa and Turkey comprised the middle income nations, while low-income countries included India, Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Although there was no significant link found between obesity and diabetes and television, computer or car ownership in high-income countries, researchers saw a noted gap in low-income nations, the Nation reported.
Lead author and professor at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia Dr. Scott Lear told HealthDay that people who owned all three items in low-income countries did 31 percent less physical activity and 21 percent more sitting than those who didn't own any. Additionally, their waist sizes were larger.
"Although we found a significant positive association between owning household devices and obesity or diabetes in low-income countries, we were unable to detect a relationship in the high-income [countries]," Lear wrote in a news release.
In developing countries, 78 percent of the homes owned more than one television, while 34 percent had a computer and 32 percent owned a car.
Only four percent of citizens living in low-income countries had all three items. 83 percent of people from high-income countries owned a television, computer and car.
Lear said these results could show a shift in the overall health of developing nations.
"This can lead to potentially devastating societal health care consequences in these countries," he stated.
"Our findings emphasize the importance of limiting the amount of time spent using household devices, reducing sedentary behavior and encouraging physical activity in the prevention of obesity and diabetes," the study concluded.
