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The unhealthiest city in America

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by Rusty Shackleford, Nov 16, 2008.

  1. Rusty Shackleford

    Rusty Shackleford Active Member

    Two things I can't say about this story: 1) That it surprises me, 2) That it makes me proud of my hometown

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081116/ap_on_he_me/med_unhealthiest_city
     
  2. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    People don't understand that obesity and poor nutrition aren't so much health problems, but problems rooted in a poor economy. Which is why the "hungriest" states are frequently also the fattest.

    There is something wrong when it costs more to eat healthy than it does to eat poorly.
     
  3. harbinger

    harbinger Member

    If the commercial was required to include a listing of the calorie count of that value meal, it might not be as effective. But...but...but... that would go against the tenets of conservative Republican pro business government, which West Virginia fervently supports as evidenced by the most recent presidential election. Who cares if people are having heart attacks in their 30s.
     
  4. mike311gd

    mike311gd Active Member

    Most people aren't retarded, though, and they know a KFC meal isn't exactly healthy -- hence the fried chicken and the grease that covers the box and fingertips. I don't think showing nutrition facts on a commercial is going to deter most from going after the food; if I want it, and I can afford it, it's going to be in my house soon.
     
  5. harbinger

    harbinger Member

    I respectfully disagree. The article indicates part of the problem is a lack of knowledge. Some people don't know the importance of exercise, for example.

    People might know value meals aren't healthy. But if they truly knew how unhealthy they were, I think it would help. It wouldn't change everything, but it would help.
     
  6. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    Correlation doesn't necessarily imply causation. It could be that poverty causes obesity somehow, as you suggested. Using that reasoning, though, it could also be that obesity causes poverty.

    Or it could be something more likely; that there are other factors involved: for example, that people who are less educated are more likely to be poor and more likely to be obese.
     
  7. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    Office of Healthy Lifestyles?
     
  8. Paper Dragon

    Paper Dragon Member

    Wow, it took you fewer words than usual to muddy the issue.
     
  9. JayFarrar

    JayFarrar Well-Known Member

    Not really.
    To say one thing causes the other, implies that it is true both ways.
    So that would mean being poor makes you fat, so being fat makes you poor.
    I don't think most people would agree with that.

    I've written about this before and when you have to stretch every dollar you can, unhealthy food provides more at a cheaper cost. The guy from the Delta Regional Authority gave a great example to me. You're feeding a family of five. You go grocery shopping and after you buy the essentials, you only have a few bucks left. Do you spend that money on fruit, a healthy snack, or do you spend that money on Little Debbies, a local brand snack cake?
    The fruit will be a few bananas, or a half dozen apples for about four bucks. For the same amount of money you could get four boxes of eight, 10 or 12 cakes that are indvidually wrapped and won't spoil on the shelf.
    So it isn't a suprise that people pick the unhealthy snacks.
    Add in a lack of exercise, smoking, a few drinks and you got the perfect cocktail for a health disaster.
     
  10. jgmacg

    jgmacg Guest

    Without regard to snack cakes, all anyone has to do to understand the relationship between poverty and obesity in America is check the nutrition panel on a box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. A staple of the no-budget diet it often sells at 3 for $1 in Wal-Mart. Much less expensive per serving than any fruit or vegetable, even factoring in the milk and margarine. Huge carb load in every forkful, and a small mountain of sodium.
     
  11. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    There is definitely a correlation between the two, as has been pointed out by study after study. What I was saying above is that poverty and obesity don't exist in a vacuum, so you have to consider a lot of other factors that often go hand in hand with the two when trying to figure out what causes what. Correlation does not imply causation.

    Sorry I confuse you, Paper Dragon.
     
  12. mike311gd

    mike311gd Active Member

    [​IMG]

    "Don't, uh, worry, voters. We'll, uh, get that title back faster than you can, er, say, 'Jelly doughnut.'"
     
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