Posted on 05/06/2008 12:11:49 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
Food costs likely to boost obesity in poor Healthier choices will be even more out of reach, experts say.
By Alfred Lubrano
Inquirer Staff Writer Some of the fattest people in America are among the poorest.
And with food prices rising, the problem is likely to get worse.
Tianna Gaines, who describes herself as impoverished and obese, knows this. At 5-foot-3 and 242 pounds, she lives on public assistance in Frankford and eats junk food because it's cheap and more readily available in her neighborhood than carrots and apples.
Besides, said Gaines, 28, and a mother of three, "I don't have the money for Bally's fitness clubs. And I can't run here. They shoot you."
More poor people may suffer Gaines' fate, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicting food prices will be up 4.5 percent throughout the year, due to high fuel costs, weather problems, and the growing diversion of corn crops to make ethanol. Globally, prices will rise nearly 50 percent, according to the president's Council of Economic Advisers.
"The food crisis will make obesity and attendant diabetes even more rampant," said University of Washington epidemiologist Adam Drewnowski. "Fruits, vegetables and fish are becoming luxury goods completely out of reach of many people. Consumption of cheap food will only grow.
"Obesity is the toxic consequence of a failing economy."
(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...
“”Obesity is the toxic consequence of a failing economy.””
I don’t know even where to begin addressing this statement.
And here I thought kids were starving.
Would she really be out jogging if she lived in a nicer neighborhood?
Double cheese burger. $1 @ McDonalds.
I recommend eat nothing instead.
Starving to death is a lot harder to accomplish than widely reported.
“Tianna Gaines, who describes herself as impoverished and obese, knows this. At 5-foot-3 and 242 pounds, she lives on public assistance in Frankford and eats junk food because it’s cheap and more readily available in her neighborhood than carrots and apples.”
Has this lady ever heard of the WIC program?
I doubt that woman could run even if Satan were chasing her with a pitchfork. I am 5 feet 3 and I she weighs just about twice what I weigh. A brisk waddle up and down the stairs three times a day would do her a lot of good; and if she could walk to the corner instead of taking the bus, that would help as well.
And while she’s right that so called “health food” is prohibitively expensive, eating less junk food would actually save her money.
Honestly, this has been known for years.
The biggest boom to weight loss over the last 30 years has been the low carb craze. You don’t get very low carb on low cost diets.
Go to Aldi’s and live for weeks on their food. You will gain weight.
Along with that, if you are on food stamps, with a tv, DVD, and cell phone, you don’t move much. They actually go hand in hand.
I’m not saying any of it is right, just explainable.
Easy solution, get up, get a job and buy some veggies. Even frozen.
More incentive to run faster and lose more weight. Sorry, but you can't possibly convince me that carrots are more per pound than potato chips and ice cream.
Jebus. I went vegan 3 months ago. Every time I go to the supermarket now I smile at how much money I'm saving by not buying not just meat, but cheese, ice cream, and processed foods such as Stouffer's meals (not knocking Stouffer's, I think their meals are great).
Some of the meat analogs and soy or rice milk are pricey, but no more than bacon or regular milk. Beans are still cheap, veggies are reasonable. I just bought grapes and bananas and didn't have to take out a loan. Maybe I'm at the beginning of a trend as food gets more expensive? : )
These dire 'predictions' are not founded in reality. Plus, it has been my experience that many poor people never make good food choices anyway, no matter how much money or food stamps they have.
Must be TALK ABOUT POOR and FOOD week for all editors...
ROFLMAO!!!
“Besides, said Gaines, 28, and a mother of three, “I don’t have the money for Bally’s fitness clubs. And I can’t run here. They shoot you.”
...This poor “victim” had her legs forced apart 3 different times! If Bush would just give out a fitness stimulus package she could join Bally’s! Take guns off the streets and she could run. There! All set! ~sarc
That’s it, my 6 and 8yr. olds are going to get jobs in journalism to help pay the bills. At this point in time they are more than qualified.
At least we are saving spaceship earth for the welfare of the weeds and bugs.
She eats junk food because she prefers junk food.
She would not eat a carrot or an apple if you offered it to her on a silver platter.
My local supermarket sells apples for $1.29/lb.
My local bodega sells Snickers for $6.80/lb (85c for a 2oz bar) and potato chips for $9.60/lb (60c for a 1oz bag).
I don’t know about here but I’d go out and walk a whole lot more if my area was safer.
I don’t know even where to begin addressing this statement.
I suppose a link to real starving people could at least start the discussion. You know, people with gaunt expressions with RIBS showing, etc.
Just another stool sample from a programmed activist journalist.
She could buy potatoes and rice and other staples and COOK things herself, but that would slow down the eating speed, I suppose. USDA surplus does furnish cheese, butter, canned meats, and staples. But then, one would have to go to some effort.
Time was that information about nutrition was taught in schools so that everyone knew the problems with unhealthy diets. Young people should be taught how to take care of themselves and their potential families in a way consistent with their means. That's not happening... now it is regarded as gender discrimination to teach young women how to run a household.
Also, my grand parents came here with nothing and raised healthy families on next to nothing... during the depression. THEY know how to get the most nutrition with the least means... they learned it in the ‘old country’ where nothing was abundant. Their poverty here was a great improvement over their poverty in their homeland... they brought their understanding of nutrition with them. No one starved or became ill or obese. They were not too lazy to COOK their own food and sometimes grew their own food, even in urban areas.
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