Are the poor fat?

tehmotionless

It makes a lot of sense. KFC and McDonald's are cheap - you can have a meal to yourself for maybe £5 or less. They're quick, filling (full of fats and carbs but that's not the point) require no effort (apart from getting your butt down there, or maybe your car if you're lucky to live near a drive thru) and don't cost much. Whereas fresh vegetables and salads will not be as filling and would cost quite a bit more to feed maybe a family of four.

Eating 2000 calories of McDonalds won't make you any fatter than 2000 calories of healthy foods. Less healthy? Maybe.
The problem isn't the food. The problem is gluttony.

True, it makes no difference - if I could control myself in a fast food place I'd have 2000 of the "good stuff" every day. :bigsmile:

Sunbrooke

I am termed as poor, I have just had to start claiming jobseekers allowance, I get (when they see fit to pay me) £71.70 per week, out of that I have to put £15 electric and £15 gas on my meters, pay £6 for tv licence and £6 council tax, that is £42 gone, then I have to keep £7.50 back to go to paying phone and internet so I can apply for and look for work, £49.50 gone, that leaves me £22.50 to buy food and provide money to attend the job centre, any courses they put me on and provide adequate clothing for interviews. Considering it costs £1.80 one way to get to the job centre, so yes I am poor, I am looking for work, I buy food from the reduced section as that is all I can afford, I do not eat out, I have to shop in cheap places and when you look at the ingredients the ham that costs £1 has high fructose corn syrup in it and a multitude of other additives, unfortunately living in Blackpool only gives access to food that is cheap and unhealthy on the money I have, fresh fruit and veg is priced out of my range and as for outdoor fed meat, lol the closest I will get is the chicken pumped up with chemicals and water cos its cheap

I commend you for striving for more and for reading nutrition labels. It sounds like you are doing your best. You can find a ton of good advice on here from people who understand what you are going through.

I used to bring hard boiled eggs for lunches instead of sandwiches. Can you get frozen greens? They are good added to bean soups. I still don't eat all organic meat, but if it is your priority, you may be able to get stuff like turkey necks to make a broth to freeze in quanitity. fresh fruit and veggie are expensive in the winter, but at least in the US we have a few that are always reasonable (carrots, onions, kale, potato). I used to make my son pancakes from mix with spinach. I made them because I was poor, but he still asks for them.

GetSoda

It makes a lot of sense. KFC and McDonald's are cheap - you can have a meal to yourself for maybe £5 or less. They're quick, filling (full of fats and carbs but that's not the point) require no effort (apart from getting your butt down there, or maybe your car if you're lucky to live near a drive thru) and don't cost much. Whereas fresh vegetables and salads will not be as filling and would cost quite a bit more to feed maybe a family of four.

Eating 2000 calories of McDonalds won't make you any fatter than 2000 calories of healthy foods. Less healthy? Maybe.
The problem isn't the food. The problem is gluttony.

True, it makes no difference - if I could control myself in a fast food place I'd have 2000 of the "good stuff" every day. :bigsmile:

That's how I lost my first ~60 pounds or so. All fast food. Every day.

getshredded2012

It makes a lot of sense. KFC and McDonald's are cheap - you can have a meal to yourself for maybe £5 or less. They're quick, filling (full of fats and carbs but that's not the point) require no effort (apart from getting your butt down there, or maybe your car if you're lucky to live near a drive thru) and don't cost much. Whereas fresh vegetables and salads will not be as filling and would cost quite a bit more to feed maybe a family of four.

Personally, I don't find KFC or McDonald's as filling as a healthy meal that I prepare myself, and if I'm ordering from anything other than the dollar menu at McDonald's I'm going to pay more than cooking my own food.

I can buy a pack of 8 raw boneless skinless chicken breasts and 4 bags of frozen veggies and a few sweet potatoes for $20 and have food for 8 meals or more, while $20 at KFC will provide me with half as many meals that have me hungry again 2 - 3 hours later.

DjinnMarie

I grew up dirt poor. If you live in the city, grocery stores are miles away. Which means once a month you take a bus ride and do all of your shopping for the month. You need things that will last. No fresh fruits and veggies. All frozen, boxed, and canned goods. Which takes a toll on the mid section.

With that said, I agree with a previous poster. People in the US don't know abject poverty. There is NO reason to go hungry in this country, with all the welfare programs, soup kitchens and churches. And, many welfare recipients are what we call generational. It's all they know, and don't any different. They find it reasonable to buy TV dinners, ramen, Mac and cheese rather than pre cut deli meat, a box of spaghetti and a jar of sauce. They don't even know homemade bread can be made in the oven. Even now i still buy meat in bulk and freeze it. I make vats of spaghetti sauce (with meat and fresh veggies) and freeze it. Homemade chicken noodle (minus the noodles) or goulash soup is awesome reheated,e specially after a long day. But people who were raised on ramen and kool aid have to retrain their taste buds. To this day veggies taste like a can of smashed *kitten* to me. I typically have to cook all my veggies teriyaki style to get them down.

Education is key. Where I live they had a program called "healthy eats". Every two weeks they had free fresh fruits and veggies donated by stores and farmer market vendors. Nobody showed up and it was a flop. I volunteered, and one lady yelled "all they have is rabbit food!" And I'm sure her kids are absorbing that too.

dbmata

I know a few folks around here that are subsistence hunters and foragers. I think they'd argue that there isn't abject poverty in the US. Simply put, they don't hunt, a lot of times the adults don't eat. It's a bad deal, and made worse by ineffective programs paired with significant cultural pressure against the use of these programs. It's quite sad.

One of them I gave a box of copper ammo to for deer because he was concerned that his kids might eat lead that he missed. that's frickin' heart breaking, and the fix is copper bullets. That ammo can be $2 a cartridge or more. It's unreal.

Then again, since they have to hunt and forage for a lot of the food they get, they aren't fat, and they're thankfully for what assistance they do get from others, and that's all I'm going to add about that.

It's a real issue in this country that we're even having this discussion. You have people disclaiming it exists, others who have seen it, in one of the most affluent countries of plenty on earth. It's really frickin' reprehensible. Especially with all the folks spouting bs lines like, "... for the children!"

Confuzzled4ever

There is nothing wrong with water. That's pretty much all I drink too.

It's simply not as easy as you are trying to make it seem. I've been there and i'm not lazy nor ignorant.

Never lose sight of your blessing. They can be gone in a blink and then you'll be the one having to decide between the McChicken that will feed both of you or the healthy meal that will feed one of you. And you'll have to listen to someone telling you that you are simply lazy or not trying or

I was a 17-year-old single mother who had to finish high school and get through college while working part-time, minimum wage jobs without any help from my child's father.

I'm pretty sure I know what it's like to be poor.

Sorry if you are offended by my statement. Assuming then that you were one of the minority who managed to feed herself and her child all on her own, healthy good foods while being broke. That in and of itself is a blessing. I wasn't so lucky. It's not as easy as "buy broccoli and meat" when you live in your car. Anyway that was a long time ago for me.. but is a reality for more people then it should be. I was blessed to have a job at that time that I was able to keep. I didn't eat so my son could eat. I only ate what my friends gave me and most of that went to my son. I'm blessed that he doesn't really remember that time in our life.

We all have our struggles and we all went through rough times. But you trivialize that by saying "well i was poor once too and I did it, so you should be able to" Yes some people do not do as much as they can. Others are doing what they can and 5 dollars is a big deal. It's very individual and it's very personal.

A head of broccoli at that time in my life would have left me starving. Whereas a Mcchicken for a buck would have pushed the hunger back a bit. I'm sorry but if I was going to spend money on food, I wasn't going to be hungry after eating.

Sunbrooke

There is nothing wrong with water. That's pretty much all I drink too.

It's simply not as easy as you are trying to make it seem. I've been there and i'm not lazy nor ignorant.

Never lose sight of your blessing. They can be gone in a blink and then you'll be the one having to decide between the McChicken that will feed both of you or the healthy meal that will feed one of you. And you'll have to listen to someone telling you that you are simply lazy or not trying or

I was a 17-year-old single mother who had to finish high school and get through college while working part-time, minimum wage jobs without any help from my child's father.

I'm pretty sure I know what it's like to be poor.

Sorry if you are offended by my statement. Assuming then that you were one of the minority who managed to feed herself and her child all on her own, healthy good foods while being broke. That in and of itself is a blessing. I wasn't so lucky. It's not as easy as "buy broccoli and meat" when you live in your car. Anyway that was a long time ago for me.. but is a reality for more people then it should be. I was blessed to have a job at that time that I was able to keep. I didn't eat so my son could eat. I only ate what my friends gave me and most of that went to my son. I'm blessed that he doesn't really remember that time in our life.

We all have our struggles and we all went through rough times. But you trivialize that by saying "well i was poor once too and I did it, so you should be able to" Yes some people do not do as much as they can. Others are doing what they can and 5 dollars is a big deal. It's very individual and it's very personal.

A head of broccoli at that time in my life would have left me starving. Whereas a Mcchicken for a buck would have pushed the hunger back a bit. I'm sorry but if I was going to spend money on food, I wasn't going to be hungry after eating.

Knowing what you do now, would you still choose the McChicken? Or would you have picked something else with your 1.00? If so, what?

Confuzzled4ever

There is nothing wrong with water. That's pretty much all I drink too.

It's simply not as easy as you are trying to make it seem. I've been there and i'm not lazy nor ignorant.

Never lose sight of your blessing. They can be gone in a blink and then you'll be the one having to decide between the McChicken that will feed both of you or the healthy meal that will feed one of you. And you'll have to listen to someone telling you that you are simply lazy or not trying or

I was a 17-year-old single mother who had to finish high school and get through college while working part-time, minimum wage jobs without any help from my child's father.

I'm pretty sure I know what it's like to be poor.

Sorry if you are offended by my statement. Assuming then that you were one of the minority who managed to feed herself and her child all on her own, healthy good foods while being broke. That in and of itself is a blessing. I wasn't so lucky. It's not as easy as "buy broccoli and meat" when you live in your car. Anyway that was a long time ago for me.. but is a reality for more people then it should be. I was blessed to have a job at that time that I was able to keep. I didn't eat so my son could eat. I only ate what my friends gave me and most of that went to my son. I'm blessed that he doesn't really remember that time in our life.

We all have our struggles and we all went through rough times. But you trivialize that by saying "well i was poor once too and I did it, so you should be able to" Yes some people do not do as much as they can. Others are doing what they can and 5 dollars is a big deal. It's very individual and it's very personal.

A head of broccoli at that time in my life would have left me starving. Whereas a Mcchicken for a buck would have pushed the hunger back a bit. I'm sorry but if I was going to spend money on food, I wasn't going to be hungry after eating.

Knowing what you do now, would you still choose the McChicken? Or would you have picked something else with your 1.00? If so, what?

Knowing what I know now I still would have picked eating over not eating. And if that means I go to burger king for the 59 cent hamburger or starve, then that's what I'd do. knowing what i know now I would have hated myself a whole lot more then I did then for putting myself int he situation to have to choose that sort of diet. Of course, Knowing what I know now I would not have ended up in that situation in the first place. I also have a lot more people who would be able to help me if I ended up in such a bad spot again and I am no longer to proud to ask if I need help. I could go to the grocery store and get a hamburger patty for a dollar, that I would have been unable to cook..since I had no access to a stove at that time. Maybe I would instead wait until I had 5 dollars and go to subway (and i personally don't think subway is any healthier for you. ) Because celery (or carrots) and water (which was my dinner more nights then I want to remember) just did not cut it. What will a dollar get you? Not much.. a candy bar.. a protein bar if it's on sale.. not a sandwich, not a salad, nothing that will fill you up. I'd think a Mcchicken is still the best bet here. If the choice is between eating and not eating.

kordell70

It is a lot harder not only to afford healthier foods when you are poor, but it is also harder to find healthier foods in your neighborhood. During my life I have been poor (below the poverty level poor), lower middle class (poor and above the poverty level); middle class and upper middle class. When I was poor and middle class I had to live in less than desirable neighborhoods. There was not a Wholefoods, Stop & Shop, Shaws, Market Basket, local fresh food grocer anywhere in side. We had a place where it was Brand X everything, and prepackage high fat everything. But the food was very cheap and if you had to support your family this is what you did. Then I move to Quincy/Hingham area in Massachusetts when I got a better job. You could not go 1/4 mile without running into a major food chain, whole foods, fresh grocer.

MelodyandBarbells

I wonder how the idea that healthy food has to be purchased from any specialty store or has to be organic affects this situation. Fantastic read, guys, thanks for contributing

eldamiano

I just came across this post on a thread, "Why is eating healthy so darn expensive?"

"This is why poor people are usually the fat ones. Takes discipline to cut down on unimportant living expenses and buy healthy food, which is much more expensive (MUCH, MUCH MORE - if the farmers weren't subsidized) to grow, produce. Also, the cost if you are determined to eat healthy (and exercise) is a very good reason to grow your own. Even if you only have a patio, I grew tomatoes, cucumbers, etc., in pots on my sundeck."

I agree in a lot of ways.

Thoughts?

No. I think this is a complete load of tosh.

Eating healthy does not mean buying expensive organic produce. You can eat healthily for just the same price. It is about lifestyle and laziness.

Give £10 to a stereotypical overweight person so he/she can get dinner. Will he go to the supermarket and buy som pasta, chicken and salad or will he go and get a half pounder burger with cheese and a large portion of chips.

Food being expensive is a poor excuse.

eldamiano

It is a lot harder not only to afford healthier foods when you are poor, but it is also harder to find healthier foods in your neighborhood. During my life I have been poor (below the poverty level poor), lower middle class (poor and above the poverty level); middle class and upper middle class. When I was poor and middle class I had to live in less than desirable neighborhoods. There was not a Wholefoods, Stop & Shop, Shaws, Market Basket, local fresh food grocer anywhere in side. We had a place where it was Brand X everything, and prepackage high fat everything. But the food was very cheap and if you had to support your family this is what you did. Then I move to Quincy/Hingham area in Massachusetts when I got a better job. You could not go 1/4 mile without running into a major food chain, whole foods, fresh grocer.

I find this hard to believe. Are you telling me that the majority of poor people do not have access to a simple supermarket that sells fruit and veg or at the very least something healthy? Are you then saying the poor are forced to eat huge portions of unhealthy stuff that makes you overweight?....

A likely story.

eldamiano

[
Sorry if you are offended by my statement. Assuming then that you were one of the minority who managed to feed herself and her child all on her own, healthy good foods while being broke. That in and of itself is a blessing. I wasn't so lucky. It's not as easy as "buy broccoli and meat" when you live in your car. Anyway that was a long time ago for me.. but is a reality for more people then it should be. I was blessed to have a job at that time that I was able to keep. I didn't eat so my son could eat. I only ate what my friends gave me and most of that went to my son. I'm blessed that he doesn't really remember that time in our life.

We all have our struggles and we all went through rough times. But you trivialize that by saying "well i was poor once too and I did it, so you should be able to" Yes some people do not do as much as they can. Others are doing what they can and 5 dollars is a big deal. It's very individual and it's very personal.

A head of broccoli at that time in my life would have left me starving. Whereas a Mcchicken for a buck would have pushed the hunger back a bit. I'm sorry but if I was going to spend money on food, I wasn't going to be hungry after eating.

Poor analogy. You can still make something just as filling for the same price as a McDonalds burger and you can in any case control portion sizes.

shartran

bump for later

harphy

It is a lot harder not only to afford healthier foods when you are poor, but it is also harder to find healthier foods in your neighborhood. During my life I have been poor (below the poverty level poor), lower middle class (poor and above the poverty level); middle class and upper middle class. When I was poor and middle class I had to live in less than desirable neighborhoods. There was not a Wholefoods, Stop & Shop, Shaws, Market Basket, local fresh food grocer anywhere in side. We had a place where it was Brand X everything, and prepackage high fat everything. But the food was very cheap and if you had to support your family this is what you did. Then I move to Quincy/Hingham area in Massachusetts when I got a better job. You could not go 1/4 mile without running into a major food chain, whole foods, fresh grocer.

I find this hard to believe. Are you telling me that the majority of poor people do not have access to a simple supermarket that sells fruit and veg or at the very least something healthy? Are you then saying the poor are forced to eat huge portions of unhealthy stuff that makes you overweight?....

A likely story.

Yes. Look how a food desert looks like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MJnm5X9NN0

SherryTeach

I work in a low income, urban school district. It is definitely cheaper to buy less nutritious food. In addition, people who do not have cars, shop close to home. There are not many supermarkets in the inner city, and the ones that are there, do not carry quality fresh products. The children of these families are fed two of there 3 (3 if they are lucky) at school. The options at school are not the healthiest options either.

There are many factors here and math will not give you all of the answers.

To add to this, I drove down a major urban street in my city, and every 50 feet there was a billboard for fast food. Many urban poor live in substandard housing, rent-by-the-month hotels without real kitchen facilities or lack the tools and education and time to prepare food. Many cities do not have large, fully stocked supermarkets in urban areas within walking distance of there people live. And you can't beat the cost of fast food specials.

eldamiano

It is a lot harder not only to afford healthier foods when you are poor, but it is also harder to find healthier foods in your neighborhood. During my life I have been poor (below the poverty level poor), lower middle class (poor and above the poverty level); middle class and upper middle class. When I was poor and middle class I had to live in less than desirable neighborhoods. There was not a Wholefoods, Stop & Shop, Shaws, Market Basket, local fresh food grocer anywhere in side. We had a place where it was Brand X everything, and prepackage high fat everything. But the food was very cheap and if you had to support your family this is what you did. Then I move to Quincy/Hingham area in Massachusetts when I got a better job. You could not go 1/4 mile without running into a major food chain, whole foods, fresh grocer.

I find this hard to believe. Are you telling me that the majority of poor people do not have access to a simple supermarket that sells fruit and veg or at the very least something healthy? Are you then saying the poor are forced to eat huge portions of unhealthy stuff that makes you overweight?....

A likely story.

Yes. Look how a food desert looks like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MJnm5X9NN0

That does not answer the question "Are you telling me that the majority of poor people do not have access to a simple supermarket?" unless you are telling me that poor people the world over live in a desert....

SherryTeach

It is very American to hate on poor people.

eldamiano

It is very American to hate on poor people.

Thank goodness I am not American....