Wednesday, March 17, 2010

New York Times Article of 3.14.2010 The Obesity-Hunger Paradox

There is a wonderful article in the Metropolitan section of the New York Times linking obesity to not having enough food to eat. The Bronx is the poorest county of New York State. Many there are obese and report not having enough money to buy food to eat. According to one poll, 37 percent of Bronx residents polled reported not having enough money to buy food in the past 12 months. Many residents rely on food stamps. Triada Stamps of the Food Bank of New York City said that the following factors are interconnected: obesity, diabetes, poor access to grocery stores, poverty rates, unemployment and hunger measures.

The author Sam Dolnick writes that a predominance of fast food neighborhood restaurants and a lack of education are two leading factors for this obesity. Mr. Dolnick quotes Mr. Berg, the author of All You Can Eat: How Hungry is America?: "When you're just trying to get your calorie intake, you're going to get what fills your belly".

I recommend reading the article and doing more research on this. The New York Times is carried in all or most libraries. Tour your neighborhood grocery and restaurant stores to see what food bargains you can find that are healthy. Do your own cooking several days a week.

Disclaimer: None of the above information can be taken as a substitute for advice from a medical professional such as a physician.

My third book, Pocket Guide to Fitness, is available on www.louizapatsis.com, http://www.authorhouse.com, www.bn.com and http://www.amazon.com. If you look up my name on those Web sites, you will find my other books The Boy in a Wheelchair and Life, Work and Play: Poems and Short Stories.

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