Obesity and poverty ?

[modeller]

Whenever poverty in the US is in the news most of those interviewed and those filmed at free food centres are overweight and many are obese . There is a similar situation in the UK and western Europe. Can anyone explain this apparent contradiction. ?

[Mick-Talbot]

I

[Mick-Talbot]

I really have no idea where people are coming from when they say fresh food is expensive.

[beanebabe]

It never fails to amaze me how all these obese and supposedly poverty stricken people can afford to drink, smoke, own huge flat screen TV's, push their tribes of kids around in fancy prams and have all the other latest gizmos and gadgets. A good proportion of their benefits should be handed out in the form of a box of healthy food with which to make healthy nutritious meals and not to line the pockets of expensive fast food outlets.

[emmie]

how do you know they don't work ?

[daffy654]

beanebabe, if you had ever had to live off basic benefits you would know that there is no way you can afford all the stuff you mention. If benefit claimants are buying these things it is because they are on some sort of fiddle, working and claiming or criminal activities for example.

[emmie]

you might have bought those things when in work, and out of work you still have your tv,

[emmie]

as to the food aspect, perhaps you can't get to a market, but i have found that most supermarkets now are bringing down the cost of fruit and veg.

[ojread2]

Basic benefits do not make you poor

Save the Children were on the lunch time news today. The majority of people on the poverty/bread line are working

Says everything I need to now about whinging people who consider benefits to low to live on and consider it to be living on the bread line

Fresh veg is cheap, fresh meat however, is not.

[seadogg]

Its a sad thought that we probably had a better diet during the war than many people have today. The working Mums of the previous generation(s) just didn't have the time to cook traditional meals and skills were lost with the fast and processed food industry quick to fill the gap.

[modeller]

You are right beanababe I use to run a TV company and our supposedly poorest customers were the most obese and had the biggest TVs. They were also frequently the ones who were unemployed but still travelled to support their football teams wherever they were playing in the world.
There was a poll of the fans in S/Africa last year and most of them were unemployed. How do they do it ?

[ummmm]

They must be on the fiddle, like Daffy says.

It's all well and good saying fresh food is cheap. Fresh veg is cheap, fresh fruit is reasonable, fresh meat and fish are expensive. To make a decent meal with fresh veg needs some cooking skills and imagination. Imagination is what many people lack so opt for sausage and chips instead.

[Mick-Talbot]

fresh meat and fish are expensive.


You do not need a lot of meat to make a decent meal, ummmm.
In fact I prefer a veg curry to a meat based one. I won't be budged from my opinion that obesity is down to idleness rather than poverty.

[ummmm]

I know that Mick but I can cook. My sister can't and guess what? She's obese.