5 Surprising Facts about Poverty

Approximately three million Canadians, or one in 11 people, live in poverty. Here are five facts that may surprise you about poverty.

1.       Poverty hurts your ability to think.

Poverty itself taxes the brain and reduces cognitive function by about 13 IQ points.

2.       Poverty and obesity go together.

Obesity is a problem often associated with low income and the inability to access affordable, healthy food. Those who are obese are at risk for diseases such as type 2 diabetes, stroke and heart disease.

3.       Poverty kills.

Poverty has about twice the impact as all cancers combined on lost years of healthy living.

4.       A job doesn’t guarantee freedom from poverty.

Forty-four percent of poor households in Canada have at least one person working.

5.       Poverty can happen to anyone.

Seven percent of households helped with food are homeowners and 22 percent of households helped are two-parent families.

 

What significant actions do you believe would move our country toward a goal of zero poverty?