6 ms·

The article implies that people of low-income backgrounds are vulnerable to obesity. It wouldn't surprise me given that it's a lot cheaper to fill yourself up w

by colmvp 10y ago

The article implies that people of low-income backgrounds are vulnerable to obesity. It wouldn't surprise me given that it's a lot cheaper to fill yourself up with soft drinks and carbs like bread/pasta/rice than it is to do with vegetables (at least, without a lot more research/effort).

Sacho 10y ago
It is not cheaper. The poverty tax is in knowledge, and it is paid twice - easily accessible food is expensive for its quality. With enough money to buy time or expertise to manage your diet, you can pay less money for higher quality food.
- sotojuan 10y ago
  The poor don't have time for that or much cooking—they have two jobs.
  - geon 10y ago
    Cooking doesn't necessarily take much time.
  - rsmsky1 10y ago
    They could cook on the weekend or on their day off and try to use a crock pot or bake things as those can be done while doing other things at the same time.
peteretep 10y ago
It's also a lot quicker and easier to prepare packaged and ready-to-eat meals which have some scary nutritional profiles. Poor people can often have chaotic and busy lives which precludes finding and preparing fresh food. Also: http://americannutritionassociation.org/newsletter/usda-defines-food-deserts http://americannutritionassociation.org/newsletter/usda-defi...
- ethbro 10y ago
  Also, they may simply lack access. Try walking to your nearest grocery in the US. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_desert https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_desert
  - WalterSear 10y ago
    Availability doesn't appear to trump culture. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/09/upshot/giving-the-poor-easy-access-to-healthy-food-doesnt-mean-theyll-buy-it.html http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/09/upshot/giving-the-poor-eas...
    - ethbro 10y ago
      "Generational habits of consumers don't change overnight" seems a less than surprising conclusion for something as social as food. Even with availability + affordability + community education, I can't expect you'd be looking at less than a half-generation for diets to change.
      - WalterSear 10y ago
        Ergo, food deserts aren't a valid way to look at the situation, since availability isn't the fundamental problem.
        ethbro 10y ago
        That doesn't following from my way of looking at it. Your view as I understand it: research shows that availability doesn't change dietary habits over the short term, therefore something other than availability is the fundamental problem. My view: the research you've linked shows that availability doesn't change dietary habits over the short term, but that might still mean that availability is a fundamental problem over the longer term or still a necessary but not sufficient fundamental problem over the short term (e.g. maybe it takes availability + education).
Gracana 10y ago
Hell, look at canned vegetables. Most contain sugar; you have to buy more expensive frozen or fresh stuff if you want something unadulterated.

by colmvp 10y ago

Sacho 10y ago

It is not cheaper. The poverty tax is in knowledge, and it is paid twice - easily accessible food is expensive for its quality. With enough money to buy time or expertise to manage your diet, you can pay less money for higher quality food.

sotojuan 10y ago
The poor don't have time for that or much cooking—they have two jobs.
- geon 10y ago
  Cooking doesn't necessarily take much time.
- rsmsky1 10y ago
  They could cook on the weekend or on their day off and try to use a crock pot or bake things as those can be done while doing other things at the same time.

peteretep 10y ago

It's also a lot quicker and easier to prepare packaged and ready-to-eat meals which have some scary nutritional profiles. Poor people can often have chaotic and busy lives which precludes finding and preparing fresh food. Also: http://americannutritionassociation.org/newsletter/usda-defines-food-deserts http://americannutritionassociation.org/newsletter/usda-defi...

ethbro 10y ago
Also, they may simply lack access. Try walking to your nearest grocery in the US. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_desert https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_desert
- WalterSear 10y ago
  Availability doesn't appear to trump culture. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/09/upshot/giving-the-poor-easy-access-to-healthy-food-doesnt-mean-theyll-buy-it.html http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/09/upshot/giving-the-poor-eas...
  - ethbro 10y ago
    "Generational habits of consumers don't change overnight" seems a less than surprising conclusion for something as social as food. Even with availability + affordability + community education, I can't expect you'd be looking at less than a half-generation for diets to change.
    - WalterSear 10y ago
      Ergo, food deserts aren't a valid way to look at the situation, since availability isn't the fundamental problem.
      - ethbro 10y ago
        That doesn't following from my way of looking at it. Your view as I understand it: research shows that availability doesn't change dietary habits over the short term, therefore something other than availability is the fundamental problem. My view: the research you've linked shows that availability doesn't change dietary habits over the short term, but that might still mean that availability is a fundamental problem over the longer term or still a necessary but not sufficient fundamental problem over the short term (e.g. maybe it takes availability + education).

Gracana 10y ago

Hell, look at canned vegetables. Most contain sugar; you have to buy more expensive frozen or fresh stuff if you want something unadulterated.