Obesity and poverty...

algebravoodoo

As someone who actually came from a poverty-stricken background, allow me to shed a little light on a lot of people's situation. I'm not going to give my opinion on the topic itself, just some information for other people to consider before they do. If you haven't been horribly poor you really do not have any idea of how to guess what you'd do in the situation.

1) Sometimes your family has no way to get to a grocery store often, so you shop at what's nearby, usually at convenience stores. Most convenience stores do not sell fruits and vegetables, only non-perishable items. Sometimes the nearest grocery store sucks, and you can't afford any better.

1.5) When you have little money, you want your food to feed many mouths and/or last a long time. With most perishables being at a week or so, the incentive to buy is very low.

2) Sometimes there is literally no yard or even a patio/balcony. You are apartment 15F in a 20-story building full of people just like you. No one is doing any gardening.

2.5) No grocery store owner in is right mind wants to open a grocery store in your neighborhood because he doesn't want to be robbed, or have people steal his merchandise.

3) Your live with your mother who works 2 jobs.

4) Your dad pays no child support and doesn't pick you up to have dinner or go to the park for a run.

5) When your mom wants to make you smile, she buys you candy and "treats". The neighbors give you candy and treats, too, because you and your friends are good kids, and candy is cheap.

6) You're not taught nutrition in school. You go to a school that sucks because it gets almost no funding because the students do poorly on their tests, and your teacher spends half the day disciplining other students. He or she spends one third of the school year preparing you for standardized tests that most students will fail.

6.5) Schools themselves are serving students things that are not healthful. Pizza (recently deemed a vegetable in the US, by the way) tater tots, and brown meat served with instant potatoes isn't setting the best example.

7) People in poverty usually have very little education. Don't assume they should know they need to eat healthier.

8) They are raised to keep hunger away (just as our public school food system continues to model), not to be nutritionally balanced. Think of comfort foods, and remember why they bring comfort. They're filling and swimming in salt and butter or grease, and they make you feel good.

9) Your brain associates hunger with stress. Your mom can't afford to buy a better car, a couch that has all 4 legs and no rips in it, a coffee maker to replace her old one, but she will be damned if she can't feed you and you have to feel what she felt when she was a hungry little kid living just like you do now.

Well said! I see every thing you included on this list, well, except the apartment 15f, but we do have housing projects. I teach in a Mississippi Delta school district. Would you believe many of my students have never tasted a home-baked cookie until they got one in my classroom? I teach HIGH SCHOOL! Many have no idea that treats can be tasty and healthy.

kekeleeks

I see alot talk about those who are receiving food stamps and other types of government assistance. But what about those families who do not qualify for any state assistance but do not make enough money to thrive on. I don't think the issue is just as simple as to stop having babies especially when some politicians are determined to restrict access to birth control. I think there are larger issues at play.

Im going off topic. No politician is trying to limit access to birth control. they just don't think the Federal Gov't should subsidize peoples sex habits. Condoms are sold in drug stores and there is a variety of other forms of BC women can take.

again I agee. It's not the governments responsibility to make sure you don't get knocked up its yours. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY PEOPLE. if you don't want babies don't have unprotected sex.

This is targeted towards single women of course. First, none of those methods are 100% guaranteed to not produce a baby. Let's not even get into the crazy side effects many of these birth control methods have on women. Second, I find it highly unlikely that married folks are going to be using protection (isn't that a benefit of being married) so I feel that point is mute under these circumstances. My point is that the issue goes deeper than to just stop reproducing children. he issue is way more complex than that.

MyM0wM0w

Oh, puhleezeee... people see what they want to see! Do you how many educated and wealthier families buy that crap too? And did you stalk this family to see if they were paying with food stamps? Judgey Mcjudgey. I grew up with a single mom that made $24,000 a year and we has many nights where we were hungry. My mom didn't feed us junk food because we couldn't afford it, but in America there's a total lack of education regarding what is healthy! GMOs, processed foods, pesticide laden produce. People living below the poverty line are not shopping at Whole Foods and they would be judged if they were too.

The problem is American has a corporate controlled food supply. Eat the crap so you get cancer so that we can treat you with drugs.



You are literally insane and I wish I could admit you to a psych ward for your paranoia.

I don't think that poster is completely wrong and I think that you're pretty naive if you don't realize how much lobbying goes on in our government on behalf of those mega food companies and by pharmaceutical companies. They are the ones with the mega cash and the ability to fund campaigns...

ChgingMe

I see alot talk about those who are receiving food stamps and other types of government assistance. But what about those families who do not qualify for any state assistance but do not make enough money to thrive on. I don't think the issue is just as simple as to stop having babies especially when some politicians are determined to restrict access to birth control. I think there are larger issues at play.

Im going off topic. No politician is trying to limit access to birth control. they just don't think the Federal Gov't should subsidize peoples sex habits. Condoms are sold in drug stores and there is a variety of other forms of BC women can take.

again I agee. It's not the governments responsibility to make sure you don't get knocked up its yours. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY PEOPLE. if you don't want babies don't have unprotected sex.

I paid for my own BC back in the day because 1. I had no health insurance working in retail and 2. I DIDN'T WANT TO GET PREGNANT!!

ChgingMe

I see alot talk about those who are receiving food stamps and other types of government assistance. But what about those families who do not qualify for any state assistance but do not make enough money to thrive on. I don't think the issue is just as simple as to stop having babies especially when some politicians are determined to restrict access to birth control. I think there are larger issues at play.

Im going off topic. No politician is trying to limit access to birth control. they just don't think the Federal Gov't should subsidize peoples sex habits. Condoms are sold in drug stores and there is a variety of other forms of BC women can take.

again I agee. It's not the governments responsibility to make sure you don't get knocked up its yours. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY PEOPLE. if you don't want babies don't have unprotected sex.

This is targeted towards single women of course. First, none of those methods are 100% guaranteed to not produce a baby. Let's not even get into the crazy side effects many of these birth control methods have on women. Second, I find it highly unlikely that married folks are going to be using protection (isn't that a benefit of being married) so I feel that point is mute under these circumstances. My point is that the issue goes deeper than to just stop reproducing children. he issue is way more complex than that.

Of course they aren't 100% accurate. But the pill is 99%. Condoms don't have any side effects. and as for married couples not using BC, what do you think we stop having sex. Or do we just have unlimited children. I've been married for 25 years and until my husbands surgery a few years ago I was on the pill. And I have friends (married) who only use condoms. Your argument isn't valid.

hipma

I have to disagree with this. I'm a single mom of two kids. I work full time. My son eats like a man, so basically I'm feeding 2 adults and 1 child. I'm lucky that I have a car. I shop at the "cheaper" no frills grocery stores, they might not be the cleanest or best looking but it's cheaper. I shop sales and use coupons. We hardly eat fast food, I don't buy chips or junk food. If my kids want a snack I will make a big bowl of popcorn. When you buy seeds, popcorn is super cheap, filing and tasty I cook meals every night , and usually I make double meals so I have leftovers for lunch and another meal. On a weekend I will make a big batch of tomato sauce, stew or chili. I freeze extras so I can pull a quick meal together. Another great tool is a slow cooker. I use mine alot.

I do think education is the way to go. I'm lucky I like cooking and I'm always looking for new ways to cook food. I have a friend who has 4 kids. My friend is obese and so are 3 of the 4 kids. They eat tons of junk. I bet I spend less money on groceries in a month, than she will spend in a week.

Good healthy food doesn't have to be expensive, or take hours to cook... you just have to know what you are doing

drchimpanzee

I was reading through the thread about who is to blame for obese children. The unanimous consensus is that it's the parents' fault. While I agree to a certain extent, I think people are forgetting a few key pieces of info. Let's take a look at Mississippi. It's the #1 poorest state in the nation. It's also the #1 most obese state in the nation. It's also the #1 most hunger stricken state in the nation. How could that be? How can people be starving AND obese!? It doesn't make sense. Or does it?

If you go to the grocery and buy enough fresh, whole food to feed a family of four for a week, you'll likely spend no less than $200. Good, fresh, real food is terribly expensive. Crap food is not! A cheeseburger, fries, and coke at McDonalds cost $3. A salad at McDonalds cost $6. Fresh produce and meat is expensive compared to ramen noodles and Vienna sausages. It's next to impossible for people living in poverty to eat healthy food!

I don't know how to fix that, but I know that something needs to change if we're going to solve the obesity epidemic in this country!

People use the cost of healthy foods an excuse. Giant bag of frozen broccoli: $5 at Walmart. Smaller frozen veggie bags: around $1.50. Boneless-skinless chicken breast: $1.99 a pound at Walmart. Canned beans: under $1. Don't even get me started on how cheap farmers markets can be for fresh veggies and dried beans. The real cost of eating healthy is time and that's what people are too lazy to invest. People want to reach for a box and heat something up in 3 minutes or have it handed to them in a bag 2 minutes after ordering.

kekeleeks

I see alot talk about those who are receiving food stamps and other types of government assistance. But what about those families who do not qualify for any state assistance but do not make enough money to thrive on. I don't think the issue is just as simple as to stop having babies especially when some politicians are determined to restrict access to birth control. I think there are larger issues at play.

Exactly. And you may well have the money to support your children when they are born. Then your spouse dies or leaves. Or the plant where you worked shuts down throwing you and your entire town into poverty. Or one of those children is born with special needs or develops a chronic or life threatening illness. Or you suffer a horrific accident that leaves you disabled. Not everything in our lives are within our control.

These issues we are discussing here a very complex, right? There is data that supports that most U.S. Citizens are just one healthcare crisis away from poverty. Meaning that in a two parent household, if one parent was to have a medical crisis and unable to perform work, the household would not be sustained by just one income.

CaffeinatedGlitter

If you go to the grocery and buy enough fresh, whole food to feed a family of four for a week, you'll likely spend no less than $200. Good, fresh, real food is terribly expensive. Crap food is not! A cheeseburger, fries, and coke at McDonalds cost $3. A salad at McDonalds cost $6. Fresh produce and meat is expensive compared to ramen noodles and Vienna sausages. It's next to impossible for people living in poverty to eat healthy food!

A bag of lentils is under a dollar that with a couple carrots and celery and onion is a delicious meal for cheaper than a burger and fries and waaaayyy healthier...

Serah87

I came from a poor home, we didn't eat healthy, nor did we have a lot of junk food, veggies came mostly from cans, very rarely fresh fruits in the house, chips once in awhile, cake and ice cream for birthdays, no sugary cereals, mostly cheerios, corn flakes, wheaties, etc., but we were not fat either, my siblings and I we played outside from morning to night and after school, we rode our bikes, climbed trees, played games with neighborhood children, something you don't see anymore. We rarely ate fast foods or any other restaurants. We did get a lot of candy at Halloween, Christmas and Easter.

I believe that the problem is that children don't get enough exercise, they don't play outside anymore, they sit in front the tv or computer all day long!!!

Edit to add, we, siblings and I ate a lot of box macaroni when we were children, why because it was cheap, but 3 of us shared a box, may not have been healthy, but than we went outside and played and burned all those calories!!! :bigsmile:

beccarockslife

This thread genuinely makes me sad for humanity in the majority.

KtotheD78

I was reading through the thread about who is to blame for obese children. The unanimous consensus is that it's the parents' fault. While I agree to a certain extent, I think people are forgetting a few key pieces of info. Let's take a look at Mississippi. It's the #1 poorest state in the nation. It's also the #1 most obese state in the nation. It's also the #1 most hunger stricken state in the nation. How could that be? How can people be starving AND obese!? It doesn't make sense. Or does it?

If you go to the grocery and buy enough fresh, whole food to feed a family of four for a week, you'll likely spend no less than $200. Good, fresh, real food is terribly expensive. Crap food is not! A cheeseburger, fries, and coke at McDonalds cost $3. A salad at McDonalds cost $6. Fresh produce and meat is expensive compared to ramen noodles and Vienna sausages. It's next to impossible for people living in poverty to eat healthy food!

I don't know how to fix that, but I know that something needs to change if we're going to solve the obesity epidemic in this country!

I agree. It is very sad. Although, sometimes canned or frozen good foods can be purchased, or perhaps plant a garden. It is hard to provide quality food 100% fresh and raw at every meal!

KtotheD78

If you go to the grocery and buy enough fresh, whole food to feed a family of four for a week, you'll likely spend no less than $200. Good, fresh, real food is terribly expensive. Crap food is not! A cheeseburger, fries, and coke at McDonalds cost $3. A salad at McDonalds cost $6. Fresh produce and meat is expensive compared to ramen noodles and Vienna sausages. It's next to impossible for people living in poverty to eat healthy food!

A bag of lentils is under a dollar that with a couple carrots and celery and onion is a delicious meal for cheaper than a burger and fries and waaaayyy healthier...

Yeeeeah, but try getting kids to eat it. Mine are VERY picky.

kekeleeks

I see alot talk about those who are receiving food stamps and other types of government assistance. But what about those families who do not qualify for any state assistance but do not make enough money to thrive on. I don't think the issue is just as simple as to stop having babies especially when some politicians are determined to restrict access to birth control. I think there are larger issues at play.

Im going off topic. No politician is trying to limit access to birth control. they just don't think the Federal Gov't should subsidize peoples sex habits. Condoms are sold in drug stores and there is a variety of other forms of BC women can take.

again I agee. It's not the governments responsibility to make sure you don't get knocked up its yours. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY PEOPLE. if you don't want babies don't have unprotected sex.

This is targeted towards single women of course. First, none of those methods are 100% guaranteed to not produce a baby. Let's not even get into the crazy side effects many of these birth control methods have on women. Second, I find it highly unlikely that married folks are going to be using protection (isn't that a benefit of being married) so I feel that point is mute under these circumstances. My point is that the issue goes deeper than to just stop reproducing children. he issue is way more complex than that.

Of course they aren't 100% accurate. But the pill is 99%. Condoms don't have any side effects. and as for married couples not using BC, what do you think we stop having sex. Or do we just have unlimited children. I've been married for 25 years and until my husbands surgery a few years ago I was on the pill. And I have friends (married) who only use condoms. Your argument isn't valid.

Maybe my argument is not valid to you and your situation but that does not apply to everyone. I have two kids, both of them are birth control babies (two different forms of BC I might add). I almost had third (also while on birth control) but the damn thing implanted in my Fallopian tube and just about killed me. Finally, after my having my second I had my tubes tied. and I had to CONVINCE the doctor to perform the procedure because I'm "young". That is alot to go through to just stop having babies. So my point is valid.

I reiterate my original statement, I don't think the issue is just as simple as to stop having babies especially when some politicians are determined to restrict access to birth control. I think there are larger issues at play.

fluffychicken7

I grew up poor but I grew up eating fresh vegetables and meats. I also live off of public transportation like most of my peers so I agree with if there is a will, there is a way. I go to Costco with a camping backpack. its 3 miles round trip, but I'm okay with that. I walk a lot! :-)

bcattoes

As someone who actually came from a poverty-stricken background, allow me to shed a little light on a lot of people's situation. I'm not going to give my opinion on the topic itself, just some information for other people to consider before they do. If you haven't been horribly poor you really do not have any idea of how to guess what you'd do in the situation.

1) Sometimes your family has no way to get to a grocery store often, so you shop at what's nearby, usually at convenience stores. Most convenience stores do not sell fruits and vegetables, only non-perishable items. Sometimes the nearest grocery store sucks, and you can't afford any better.

1.5) When you have little money, you want your food to feed many mouths and/or last a long time. With most perishables being at a week or so, the incentive to buy is very low.

2) Sometimes there is literally no yard or even a patio/balcony. You are apartment 15F in a 20-story building full of people just like you. No one is doing any gardening.

2.5) No grocery store owner in is right mind wants to open a grocery store in your neighborhood because he doesn't want to be robbed, or have people steal his merchandise.

3) Your live with your mother who works 2 jobs.

4) Your dad pays no child support and doesn't pick you up to have dinner or go to the park for a run.

5) When your mom wants to make you smile, she buys you candy and "treats". The neighbors give you candy and treats, too, because you and your friends are good kids, and candy is cheap.

6) You're not taught nutrition in school. You go to a school that sucks because it gets almost no funding because the students do poorly on their tests, and your teacher spends half the day disciplining other students. He or she spends one third of the school year preparing you for standardized tests that most students will fail.

6.5) Schools themselves are serving students things that are not healthful. Pizza (recently deemed a vegetable in the US, by the way) tater tots, and brown meat served with instant potatoes isn't setting the best example.

7) People in poverty usually have very little education. Don't assume they should know they need to eat healthier.

8) They are raised to keep hunger away (just as our public school food system continues to model), not to be nutritionally balanced. Think of comfort foods, and remember why they bring comfort. They're filling and swimming in salt and butter or grease, and they make you feel good.

9) Your brain associates hunger with stress. Your mom can't afford to buy a better car, a couch that has all 4 legs and no rips in it, a coffee maker to replace her old one, but she will be damned if she can't feed you and you have to feel what she felt when she was a hungry little kid living just like you do now.

Um, there are some good points here but also some nonsense.

1. a valid point for a few regions

1.5. Nonsense. Nonperishables like pasta, rice, beans, and canned/frozen meat or vegetables can make a healthy diet. Root vegetables keep for a long time.

2. a valid point, though many vegetables can be grown in window pots.

2.5. a valid point for some urban areas

3 & 4. ?? Not sure of your point. Lots of moms working 2 jobs provide healthy meals for their children w/o assistance from dad.

5. Candy is not as cheap as a hug or play. Homemade desserts are cheaper and heatlhier.

6 & 7. I don't really believe that most people believe those convenience foods are healthy. They may not know how to cook, but they know it would be healthier if they did.

6.5 First of all, pizza was not recently deemed a vegetable by the government. Recently the USDA sought to stop counting the tomato sauce on pizza as a vegetable unless there was actually 1/2 c of sauce. Congress voted it down. If you don't like that decision then find out which way your delegates voted and let them know why they won't be getting your vote in the next election. But yes, many school lunch programs are lacking in nutrition. Again, this would be somethng you can let your govt representatives know is important to you.

8. What are raised to keep hunger away but not be nutritious?? Comfort foods are usually foods that we loved as children. Whether it's salty and greasy is up to mom and/or dad.

9. Little kids don't care about that crap unless parents teach them too, but I'm not really sure how it would make them fat even if they did.

ChgingMe

I see alot talk about those who are receiving food stamps and other types of government assistance. But what about those families who do not qualify for any state assistance but do not make enough money to thrive on. I don't think the issue is just as simple as to stop having babies especially when some politicians are determined to restrict access to birth control. I think there are larger issues at play.

Im going off topic. No politician is trying to limit access to birth control. they just don't think the Federal Gov't should subsidize peoples sex habits. Condoms are sold in drug stores and there is a variety of other forms of BC women can take.

again I agee. It's not the governments responsibility to make sure you don't get knocked up its yours. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY PEOPLE. if you don't want babies don't have unprotected sex.

This is targeted towards single women of course. First, none of those methods are 100% guaranteed to not produce a baby. Let's not even get into the crazy side effects many of these birth control methods have on women. Second, I find it highly unlikely that married folks are going to be using protection (isn't that a benefit of being married) so I feel that point is mute under these circumstances. My point is that the issue goes deeper than to just stop reproducing children. he issue is way more complex than that.

Of course they aren't 100% accurate. But the pill is 99%. Condoms don't have any side effects. and as for married couples not using BC, what do you think we stop having sex. Or do we just have unlimited children. I've been married for 25 years and until my husbands surgery a few years ago I was on the pill. And I have friends (married) who only use condoms. Your argument isn't valid.

Maybe my argument is not valid to you and your situation but that does not apply to everyone. I have two kids, both of them are birth control babies (two different forms of BC I might add). I almost had third (also while on birth control) but the damn thing implanted in my Fallopian tube and just about killed me. Finally, after my having my second I had my tubes tied. and I had to CONVINCE the doctor to perform the procedure because I'm "young". That is alot to go through to just stop having babies. So my point is valid.

I reiterate my original statement, I don't think the issue is just as simple as to stop having babies especially when some politicians are determined to restrict access to birth control. I think there are larger issues at play.

again I say politicians are NOT trying to limit access to birth control. They just don't think the gov't should pay for it. And I agree. It is not the governments responsibility to make sure we don't conceive. That lies within us.

fluffychicken7

Yeeeeah, but try getting kids to eat it. Mine are VERY picky.

Never had this problem as a kid. don't like the offerings, my siblings will have seconds. No child abuse its life. lol

hipma

kids are picky becuase we let them be picky. I cook meals that are healthy. My rule is the kids at least have to try it, take a couple bites. I will not make another meal. If there is something that they really really don't like I won't make them eat it. However if they say they don't like it without giving it a good try first .. too bad. You are going hungry tonight then.

If we stop giving kids the heavily salted , sugared, full of crap food they will eventually get a taste for healthy , natural food.

kekeleeks

I see alot talk about those who are receiving food stamps and other types of government assistance. But what about those families who do not qualify for any state assistance but do not make enough money to thrive on. I don't think the issue is just as simple as to stop having babies especially when some politicians are determined to restrict access to birth control. I think there are larger issues at play.

Im going off topic. No politician is trying to limit access to birth control. they just don't think the Federal Gov't should subsidize peoples sex habits. Condoms are sold in drug stores and there is a variety of other forms of BC women can take.

again I agee. It's not the governments responsibility to make sure you don't get knocked up its yours. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY PEOPLE. if you don't want babies don't have unprotected sex.

This is targeted towards single women of course. First, none of those methods are 100% guaranteed to not produce a baby. Let's not even get into the crazy side effects many of these birth control methods have on women. Second, I find it highly unlikely that married folks are going to be using protection (isn't that a benefit of being married) so I feel that point is mute under these circumstances. My point is that the issue goes deeper than to just stop reproducing children. he issue is way more complex than that.

Of course they aren't 100% accurate. But the pill is 99%. Condoms don't have any side effects. and as for married couples not using BC, what do you think we stop having sex. Or do we just have unlimited children. I've been married for 25 years and until my husbands surgery a few years ago I was on the pill. And I have friends (married) who only use condoms. Your argument isn't valid.

Maybe my argument is not valid to you and your situation but that does not apply to everyone. I have two kids, both of them are birth control babies (two different forms of BC I might add). I almost had third (also while on birth control) but the damn thing implanted in my Fallopian tube and just about killed me. Finally, after my having my second I had my tubes tied. and I had to CONVINCE the doctor to perform the procedure because I'm "young". That is alot to go through to just stop having babies. So my point is valid.

I reiterate my original statement, I don't think the issue is just as simple as to stop having babies especially when some politicians are determined to restrict access to birth control. I think there are larger issues at play.

again I say politicians are NOT trying to limit access to birth control. They just don't think the gov't should pay for it. And I agree. It is not the governments responsibility to make sure we don't conceive. That lies within us.

I guess that is your point and that is fine. I won't engage in a political discussion as that was not the MAIN point of my argument . It was a side note that clearly got your attention, lol. I just think this discussing warrants more in-depth conversation than for people to just stop having babies they can't afford.