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Corresponds to the increase in Food Stamp recipients over the same time period. The USDA knows it's a problem. USDA Food Stamp obesity statistics, and the USDA OIG report...
The obesity rates of the poor on food stamps compared to the poor who aren't on food stamps, and compared to the rest of the population:
Income-eligible children on food stamps: 24%
Income-eligible children NOT on food stamps: 20% Non-poor children who of course don't even qualify for food stamps: 13%
Income-eligible adults on food stamps: 44% obese
Income-eligible adults NOT on food stamps: 33% obese Non-poor adults who of course don't even qualify for food stamps: 32% obese
It certainly does appear that the children of poor and low-income families who receive free school breakfast, lunch, etc., program meals, regardless of whether they get food stamps, are being overfed.
Additionally, the USDA OIG (Office of the Inspector General) suggests there's a problem with poor and low-income families stacking multiple public assistance benefitsfor the exact same meals (e.g., parents given food stamps to pay for providing breakfast and lunch for their children, but their children are eating at school - free breakfast and lunch programs and sometimes dinner, too, even in the summer and on school holidays). That enables the food stamp recipient adults to overeat.
According to the OIG, 59% of families on food stamps simultaneously get benefitsfrom 2 or more major free food programs for the exact same daily meals. That fact published by the USDA OIG.
Are we really doing the poor any favors by causing their obesity by letting them double-dip and sometimes even triple-dip government free food program benefits, thereby enabling their overeating and ruining their health?
Yep, the #1 food stamp purchase is SODA. FFS why are our tax dollars being used to fatten up little kids? So more of our tax dollars can be taken to provide them with healthcare down the road?
This is not something that is a surprise is it? With the amount of sugar and processed foods that we push on ourselves and our kids, there has to be consequences. Lucky are those that can eat whatever and stay thin, though they are few and far between.
Yep, the #1 food stamp purchase is SODA. FFS why are our tax dollars being used to fatten up little kids? So more of our tax dollars can be taken to provide them with healthcare down the road?
It's despicable.
Corporate interest that is why. Food stamps should be more of a wic type program.
Also plenty of fat asses not drinking soda and not on snap. In fact, boomers are a very unhealthy generation on average.
That is what happens when the CHEAPEST foods are also the LEAST healthy. That is the root cause, IMO.
Good point, I worked in food bank for a little bit and most of the food was not healthy and highly processed. When and if we did get vegetables and fruits they mostly sat or went bad before they could be donated.
Costs me about 20 bucks or so to put together a healthy balanced dinner for 2, on top of shopping time + prep and cook time. Could eat microwaved trash for about 5-8 bucks, or fast food trash for a bit less than 20 with much less time investment. Not sure I can imagine what it would be like to try and live only on TV dinner type swill.
Of course, if I cook the meal myself it will actually be delicious so there is that...
Costs me about 20 bucks or so to put together a healthy balanced dinner for 2, on top of shopping time + prep and cook time. Could eat microwaved trash for about 5-8 bucks, or fast food trash for a bit less than 20 with much less time investment. Not sure I can imagine what it would be like to try and live only on TV dinner type swill.
Of course, if I cook the meal myself it will actually be delicious so there is that...
Granted I live in a relatively high COL area.
the time factor is something that is too often ignored. the fast, convenient stuff tends to be unhealthy more often than not.
Costs me about 20 bucks or so to put together a healthy balanced dinner for 2, on top of shopping time + prep and cook time. Could eat microwaved trash for about 5-8 bucks, or fast food trash for a bit less than 20 with much less time investment. Not sure I can imagine what it would be like to try and live only on TV dinner type swill.
Of course, if I cook the meal myself it will actually be delicious so there is that...
Granted I live in a relatively high COL area.
Less extreme, but when I was at my poorest going through chemo and having to choose some weeks between filling a prescription or eating, I ate a lot of processed garbage like seasoned rice and beans, instant mashed potatoes, etc because they were cheap and quick to prepare. I could feel full for under $2 a meal.
I cook most of my meals now, which are mostly vegetables with a small serving of meat, and generally little to no processed carbs. Even shopping sales, it's generally $6-8 a meal and takes up a lot more time. By the time I get home from work at 7 or 8, the last thing I want to do is cook - but I do because I'm making a huge effort. If I had kids on top of financial worries, I don't know how easy it would be to avoid the prepackaged crap. I tend to make a ton of something on Sunday and eat it all week, but that would be more challenging to do for multiple family members.
Food banks tend to be packed with the prepackaged, processed foods. When I went when I was sick, there was little there that could be considered healthy.
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