Osesity higher in poor teens

Published on June 14, 2006 By Island Dog In Politics

So much for the starving teenagers.

CHICAGO - Older American teenagers living in poverty have grown fatter at a higher rate than their peers, according to research that seems to underscore the unequal burden of obesity on the nation's poor.

"Today the percentage of adolescents age 15-17 who are overweight is about 50 percent higher in poor as compared to non-poor families, a difference that has emerged recently," said Johns Hopkins' sociologist Richard Miech, the study's lead author.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060523/ap_on_he_me/diet_overweight_teens

Comments

Adventure-Dude

on Jun 14, 2006

I can totally agree with this. The poor are typically depressed and a very common form to deal with depression is to eat. They don't eat veggies to feel better but high fat and high sugar content foods (ie. ice cream, chocolate, etc). I don't have a link but I know that diabeties is also much higher in the poor areas which supports the above.

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Gideon MacLeish

on Jun 14, 2006

The reason is simple: food stamps. I believe VERY firmly that if the government is providing food (which I don't think they should be doing), it should VERY strictly restrict the items it provides. I believe the food stamp budget could be cut in HALF if we only gave families enough to buy food to survive (better idea: cut it altogether).

Thanks for digging up this article, island dog.

Island Dog

on Jun 14, 2006

This goes back to another article someone wrote about all the things the "poor" have in this country. Color tv's, cell phones, etc.

This country is not as bad as the col and his fellow liberals make it out to be.

Gideon MacLeish

on Jun 14, 2006

This goes back to another article someone wrote about all the things the "poor" have in this country. Color tv's, cell phones, etc.

Yup, it's appalling. According to the US standard of poverty, my family and I live well below the poverty line. I have a 12 year old car, a color TV, a DVD player (with about 50 movies), a Nintendo GameCube (with about 15 games), a cell phone, a computer, a washer & dryer, an upright freezer (in addition to our refrigerator), air conditioning, and a satellite dish. I resent being included in any statistics that demand my family and I are suffering. Sure, money's tight from time to time, but we're a long damn way from being destitute.

amandapearl2

on Jun 14, 2006

I think that one of the reasons poorer kids are larger is because fast foods like McDonald's are cheaper than healthier foods. Americans as a whole do not eat enough healthy foods, and the processed foods tend to be cheaper and you don't need a lot of time or resources to prepare a lot of them.

The poor are typically depressed and a very common form to deal with depression is to eat.

I'm not too sure I would agree with this statement because people with money can also be depressed, and people without money are not necessarily. Also, not everyone battles depression with food, there are other ways people cope. I'm sure there are some cases out there, but I don't really think that this statement is applicable to most situations.

I agree more with Gideon, I think our government give too much money to people who do not really need it. I think that system needs some serious re-thinking.

Gideon MacLeish

on Jun 14, 2006

I think that one of the reasons poorer kids are larger is because fast foods like McDonald's are cheaper than healthier foods.

That's actually a commonly believed misconception. It's only true of eating out. But for the price of a dollar menu double cheeseburger and a large soda, I can put together enough turkey sandwiches to feed my entire family...and I can cook up a pot of beans big enough to have leftovers.

amandapearl2

on Jun 14, 2006

But for the price of a dollar menu double cheeseburger and a large soda, I can put together enough turkey sandwiches to feed my entire family...and I can cook up a pot of beans big enough to have leftovers.

Really? I didn't know that. Interesting. Well for that matter, maybe the poorer fat kids don't know either.

Island Dog

on Jun 14, 2006

The point of the story is how people who supposedly don't have much, can be overweight.

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