Slog
News & ArtsMonday, March 15, 2010
Health You Gonna Eat That?
Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 7:41 AM
Newsweek suggests that there's some relationship between the American diet and the obesity epidemic.
4
Wow Newsweek! I can see why you are America's number one source of hard hitting news coverage! Time for a Pulitzer!!!
5
My hippie neighbors have two boys who not only ride their bikes to school, they are allowed to play unsupervised in the cul-de-sac by our house.
A mutual acquaintance can't believe that anyone would let "their babies" do those activities in "that neighborhood" (North Beacon Hill).
Of course, her kids are both round little scaredy cats, having been fed a steady diet of tater tots and fear television (America's Most Wanted, Access Hollywood, etc) their entire lives.
A mutual acquaintance can't believe that anyone would let "their babies" do those activities in "that neighborhood" (North Beacon Hill).
Of course, her kids are both round little scaredy cats, having been fed a steady diet of tater tots and fear television (America's Most Wanted, Access Hollywood, etc) their entire lives.
6
Fear television is the best, though!
You're going to be kidnapped, gutted, flayed and turned into a delightful throw rug if you leave the house, I heard that on TV. Stay on that couch, mister.
You're going to be kidnapped, gutted, flayed and turned into a delightful throw rug if you leave the house, I heard that on TV. Stay on that couch, mister.
7
Killing the farm bill would be a huge step towards reversing the fattening of America... making local food, and more importantly, REAL food, more profitable for farmers to grow more affordable for Americans to buy.
Right now corn and soy is king, and its killing us.
Right now corn and soy is king, and its killing us.
8
Who didn't know this? Just in case Newsweek is further out of touch with this nation's problems I think someone should let them know that their riveting tidbit about the obesity epidemic being correlated with the American diet also has another component to it, and that is ( shock of all shocks ) economic. Take note of it Newsweek.
9
Not particularly shocking.
The one point that I find interesting is the drive to end "grocery deserts." I totally agree that the poorer an area, the more underserved it is by traditional grocery stores. But, in addition to this, the quality, quantity, and variety of healthy foods stocked by those traditional grocery stores that do exist is highly dependent on the income of its surrounding residents.
I live in a poor (developing? probably) area with access to two :::scratch that::: now one major grocery store chain. I shop in a more affluent neighborhood because our local, run-of-the-mill grocer is probably one of the worst in the chain. The grocery that we have had a chain-wide sale on artichokes this week. So, I figured that I would just walk a few blocks and pick them up at the local branch. Yeah, not happening. The produce stocker didn't even know what an artichoke was, and the manager simply told me "we can't move things like that." Okay, yes, demand drives business decisions, but did it ever occur to these people that the REASON the produce stocker had no clue what an artichoke was was because he had never had access to them? This at a store which is being remodeled to reflect "the new community."
I mention this because of another interesting observation I've made. In my old 'hood, the more affluent area I still shop in, we had one middle-of-the-road grocery store forever. Then, a bright, shiny, higher-end store moves in (not Whole Foods, much cheaper and less pretentious, but better than average). The new store's produce is significantly higher quality and more varied. Also, their meat selection is soooooo much better (fresh, focus on healthy options, no chitterlings in sight), they have numerous and affordable whole grain and organic store brands, etc. Yeah, needless to say the normal, existing store lost a lot of business, but not just from the affluent yuppies in that neighborhood, from the residents of the nearby housing developments, as well. Since junk tends to be more expensive at the new store than the old one, I'd like to see some actual information on whether access to better items improved diets in this area. Seems like a good case study.
More...
The one point that I find interesting is the drive to end "grocery deserts." I totally agree that the poorer an area, the more underserved it is by traditional grocery stores. But, in addition to this, the quality, quantity, and variety of healthy foods stocked by those traditional grocery stores that do exist is highly dependent on the income of its surrounding residents.
I live in a poor (developing? probably) area with access to two :::scratch that::: now one major grocery store chain. I shop in a more affluent neighborhood because our local, run-of-the-mill grocer is probably one of the worst in the chain. The grocery that we have had a chain-wide sale on artichokes this week. So, I figured that I would just walk a few blocks and pick them up at the local branch. Yeah, not happening. The produce stocker didn't even know what an artichoke was, and the manager simply told me "we can't move things like that." Okay, yes, demand drives business decisions, but did it ever occur to these people that the REASON the produce stocker had no clue what an artichoke was was because he had never had access to them? This at a store which is being remodeled to reflect "the new community."
I mention this because of another interesting observation I've made. In my old 'hood, the more affluent area I still shop in, we had one middle-of-the-road grocery store forever. Then, a bright, shiny, higher-end store moves in (not Whole Foods, much cheaper and less pretentious, but better than average). The new store's produce is significantly higher quality and more varied. Also, their meat selection is soooooo much better (fresh, focus on healthy options, no chitterlings in sight), they have numerous and affordable whole grain and organic store brands, etc. Yeah, needless to say the normal, existing store lost a lot of business, but not just from the affluent yuppies in that neighborhood, from the residents of the nearby housing developments, as well. Since junk tends to be more expensive at the new store than the old one, I'd like to see some actual information on whether access to better items improved diets in this area. Seems like a good case study.
11
I like the line where they claim that going out to eat is fun, but means parents can't control their child's ingredient intake...
Uh, what? Why the hell can't a parent STILL tell their child what their options are?
Uh, what? Why the hell can't a parent STILL tell their child what their options are?
14
while the american diet may not be the healthiest in terms of actual nutritional content, I'm convinced that lack of exercise is the bigger problem.
I'm surprised what i can get away with eating and drinking when I keep up an exercise regiment.
you go at people on the food angle and they're going to try to find what low cal foods they can eat the most of, so they'll not only not be getting enough energy intake, it'll have little nutritional value.
Tell people to exercise an hour a day instead. Then as long as they're not complete morons about what they eat, they'll have a hard time gaining weight.
I'm surprised what i can get away with eating and drinking when I keep up an exercise regiment.
you go at people on the food angle and they're going to try to find what low cal foods they can eat the most of, so they'll not only not be getting enough energy intake, it'll have little nutritional value.
Tell people to exercise an hour a day instead. Then as long as they're not complete morons about what they eat, they'll have a hard time gaining weight.
15
If this is true, why is there an obesity epidemic in all sorts of countries that aren't America? Like Greece and Ireland?
18
"Parents should model good eating and eat with their kids as often as possible."
Dan's been saying this all along :P
Dan's been saying this all along :P
19
@6 -- you forgot "harvested for organs."
Although they probably won't be able to use those poor kidneys, liver & pancreas...
Although they probably won't be able to use those poor kidneys, liver & pancreas...
20
Another seldom talked about factor is people's attitude toward vegetables - many think it's "unmanly" or sissy to eat veggies. This attitude I've observed especially in people with lower education.
22
Meh. I took my kids (9 and 7) to the local pub last nite. They each ordered a salad, one with shrimp and one with crab. While waiting for dinner, they got out their skateboard and played two-person bobsled down the sidewalk in front of the pub. One skinned his knee, the other her elbow. They had a great time. Neither has (or wants to play) video games. They enjoy an occasional movie, but can't sit through ads on TV. They'd rather play in the park next door or build a fort indoor on rainy days. They're not big readers, but they like to be read to. We live in a pretty sketchy neighborhood, but the kids can stand up for themselves. We shop at the local Vietnamese market and mostly eat fish and vegetables. There's hardly any junk food in our house, but there's always lots of food. Their friends like to come over and make sushi rolls. None of this is rocket science, folks. It's how most people have lived for centuries.
24
@15- Because they're eating a more and more American diet. Diabetes and heart disease are way up in Japan too.
25
I have to say - Per this Article this is a problem with Parenting -Plain and simple - Be a Parent and raise your children!!!
26
@15- Really? When I was in Ireland in '90, (high-tech manufacturing was just getting started there), I had never seen so many thin people who ate so much. As if the Potato Famine of the 1800's never left their gene pool.
So now they're a bunch of fatties like us Americans, eh? Must be high-tech.
So now they're a bunch of fatties like us Americans, eh? Must be high-tech.
29
@23, ftw.
Whenever, there's no story for the day or week, there's always an obesity story to cover. Just put up a bunch of pictures of obese people, and children just about to put food into their open mouths--and bam, story.
Whenever, there's no story for the day or week, there's always an obesity story to cover. Just put up a bunch of pictures of obese people, and children just about to put food into their open mouths--and bam, story.
Advertisement
Most Commented on Slog
-
Hating People Doesn't Make Them Thinner by Jen Graves
-
Los Angeles Gay Bar Bans Bachelorette Parties Until Marriage Equality Is Attained by David Schmader
-
Fill in the Blank by Grant Brissey
-
This Reminds Me of the Great Calculator Scare of the Late '70s/Early '80s by David Schmader
-
Idiot Tries to Defend Bigoted Anti-Gay-Marriage Preacher on Anderson Cooper by Paul Constant
-
Six Moms with Too Much Time on Their Hands and a Shitty Website Decide to Fight Gay Superheroes by Paul Constant
-
Why Mayor McGinn's Wife Canceled Her Family's Seattle Times Subscription by Eli Sanders
-
What the Hell Is Wrong With Seattle's Pride Parade? by Dominic Holden
-
The Saturday Morning News by Unpaid Intern
-
NYC Man Ticketed for Not Riding in the Bike Lane by Jonathan Golob
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
Comments (29) RSS