Apparently the credit crunch has affected more than just bank accounts– now it’s after waistlines. A recent German study showed a strong correlation between indebtedness and obesity.

You’d think it would be the other way around (less money, less food), but researchers found 25 per cent of the 949 indebted participants were medically obese, as compared to 11 per cent of the other 8,318 study participants who weren’t.

Over-indebtedness was associated with a 1.97 times higher odds for being overweight and 2.56 times higher odds for obesity (after adjusting for age, sex, education, income and health factors such as depression and smoking). The authors speculated those deep in debt may gain weight since their ability to choose nutritious foods is limited by their budget.  Fatty, low-yield foods are often less expensive compared to healthier options.

What does this mean for Canadians? Now that we’re tightening our expenses, let’s not loosen our belts. Personally, I choose to consider this study a friendly warning.