about poverty and obesity
This is my response to the New York Times piece "Census: New York Region Has Widest Income Gap" by Sam Roberts, August 28, 2007, 4:36 pm
Obesity can and does coexist with poverty, simply because in the developed and developing world the most filling, affordable and available foods are carbohydrates, fat-laden, and sugary. In fact, obesity might even be seen as a symptom of poverty in the developing and developed world.
Poor people make logical choices with their limited resources. Unfortunately, they don’t have as many choices as those who are better off. Low-income neighborhoods in NYC and elsewhere in the country have far fewer supermarkets and farmers’ markets, and far less green and recreational space than more affluent zip codes.
So it’s good news that there are new farmers’ markets opening in some of NYC’s poorest neighborhoods, and that NYS Dept. of Agriculture and Markets is working hard to expand acceptance of food stamps (aka The Food Card) at all farmers’ markets.
But wait! What about the 700,000+ people in NYC who are eligible for but not receiving food stamps? If everyone eligible for this agriculture/nutrition support entitlement program were to receive these non-welfare benefits, almost $1 billion would flow into NYC. That’s $1 billion of federal dollars. Talk about starting to get back in federal spending what NYC pays in taxes!
Now imagine those dollars flowing into NYC to be spent on food only. Imagine the supermarkets that could be located in low-income neighborhoods. Imagine the people who would be employed at those supermarkets. Imagine the taxes generated. Imagine the benefit to NYC of simply making sure that every eligible person gets what they are entitled to because of their income level.
Mayor Bloomberg rightly touts the Earned Income Tax Credit as a way to help families keep their heads above water and to contribute to NYC’s economy. So too are food stamps/the Food Card. Let’s stop thinking of them wrongly as welfare, and instead see them for what they are: a way to help those who don’t have big incomes at least get the nutrition they need to learn and work to their best ability.
— Posted August 30th, 2007 10:20 pm
Obesity can and does coexist with poverty, simply because in the developed and developing world the most filling, affordable and available foods are carbohydrates, fat-laden, and sugary. In fact, obesity might even be seen as a symptom of poverty in the developing and developed world.
Poor people make logical choices with their limited resources. Unfortunately, they don’t have as many choices as those who are better off. Low-income neighborhoods in NYC and elsewhere in the country have far fewer supermarkets and farmers’ markets, and far less green and recreational space than more affluent zip codes.
So it’s good news that there are new farmers’ markets opening in some of NYC’s poorest neighborhoods, and that NYS Dept. of Agriculture and Markets is working hard to expand acceptance of food stamps (aka The Food Card) at all farmers’ markets.
But wait! What about the 700,000+ people in NYC who are eligible for but not receiving food stamps? If everyone eligible for this agriculture/nutrition support entitlement program were to receive these non-welfare benefits, almost $1 billion would flow into NYC. That’s $1 billion of federal dollars. Talk about starting to get back in federal spending what NYC pays in taxes!
Now imagine those dollars flowing into NYC to be spent on food only. Imagine the supermarkets that could be located in low-income neighborhoods. Imagine the people who would be employed at those supermarkets. Imagine the taxes generated. Imagine the benefit to NYC of simply making sure that every eligible person gets what they are entitled to because of their income level.
Mayor Bloomberg rightly touts the Earned Income Tax Credit as a way to help families keep their heads above water and to contribute to NYC’s economy. So too are food stamps/the Food Card. Let’s stop thinking of them wrongly as welfare, and instead see them for what they are: a way to help those who don’t have big incomes at least get the nutrition they need to learn and work to their best ability.
— Posted August 30th, 2007 10:20 pm
posted by julieannerickson at 12:16 PM
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