Economic status unhealthy eating patterns and obesity; Grounded theory in the city of Yazd

Overweight and obesity is one of the important problems of the international community that affects everyone of all ages. Important factors cause this phenomenon, but the economic situation of societies can also affect the nutritional patterns of individuals and cause the phenomenon of obesity. The aim of this study was to investigate the economic situation, unhealthy food patterns and obesity of Yazd citizens. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 girls and analyzed by grounded theory technique. The results showed that factors such as lack of market control, people's income status, inefficient economic management of society cause citizens to be drawn to inappropriate eating patterns, high-calorie foods and obesity. The results showed that factors such as poor nutritional literacy and appearance centered on nutrition cause citizens to be drawn to inappropriate eating patterns, high-calorie foods and obesity. Also, economic problems, wrong food culture and convenience provide the ground for people to choose inappropriate nutritional patterns, which leads to the phenomenon of obesity. Factors such as socio-cultural transition, media bias, and nutritional substitution also indirectly contribute to obesity.The strategies of these people to deal with obesity are to strengthen their nutritional awareness and to deal with the economic situation by multiplying themselves. The consequences for them are obesity, latent malnutrition, physical illness and mental health problems. The final category was extracted as "socio-economic anxiety", which means that economic conditions, in addition to creating economic anxiety, cause a person to experience a kind of social anxiety in various fields. It is suggested that the solution of economic problems, health discourse and proper nutrition be formed in the society by families and social and cultural institutions of the society, including education and media, etc.