Government Assisted Programs
In America, there are many programs used to assist those that can not afford to buy food themselves. Some people do spend their assistance on healthier choices. However, according to Adam Drewnowski, a writer for the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN), wrote an article titled, “Poverty and Obesity: The Role of Energy Density and Energy Costs,” states, “...according to USDA surveys, most low-income respondents spent their limited food dollars on energy-dense foods that were largely composed of added sugars and fat” (Drewnowski). These unhealthy choices seem to be the most plausible choice for people on government assistance because they would want to pick foods that would last longer and keep the people in their families
|
full longer. However, sometimes food is not always available for people who participate in government assistance programs. According to an article titled, “Food Stamps and Obesity: What We Know and What It Means,” by Michele Ver Ploeg and Katherine Ralston, writers for the United States Department of Agriculture, states, “Households consume food every day but purchase food less regularly... It is possible that food stamp participants run out of food (and benefits with which to purchase more food) near the end of the month” (Ver Ploeg and Ralston). When food becomes available to them, it is common for them to overeat, and this contributes to chronic weight gain because of an imbalanced intake of food. An article titled “Fighting Obesity and Hunger,” published by the FRAC, states, “Those who are food insecure may also overeat when food does become available, resulting in chronic ups and downs in food intake that can contribute to weight gain” (“Fighting Obesity and Hunger”). Based on the research, it is safe to say that many factors contribute to the correlation between those that participate in government assistance and obesity.
Possible Solutions
As poverty and obesity do correlate, there are some steps suggested to help de-escalate the effects. According to Connie Matthiessen in an article titled “Obesity and Poverty: A Physician’s Perspective,” she states, “We tend to think about weight as a personal choice: we assume that people make the choice to eat healthy food or to eat junk food. In reality, in this country, it costs more to eat healthy food than it does to eat junk food” (Matthiessen). This statement is further supported in an article titled, “Poverty, Not Gluttony, Is the Cause of Obesity” by Barbra Ellen, states, “The main thrust is that people need to take responsibility for their weight, which is true, but only to an extent” (Ellen). In the end, sometimes eating unhealthy is not really a choice, for some, and that unhealthy food could be a necessity to survive. Later in the article, she states,“I'm a realist, so if healthy food isn't an option, I encourage families to make better bad choices” (Matthiessen). While this approach may seem dark, an individual who had to chose between bread or soda would rather pick bread, an example given in Matthiessen’s article. Also in Matthiessen’s article, she states that people need to give children a talk on nutrition, similar to how children are often told to wear a seatbelt in a car because exposure to the subject can help them make better choices when deciding what to eat (Matthiessen). As a society, it is important to bring up a healthy lifestyle to the younger generation.