Hunger & Obesity
Linked: Food for Thought
July 13, 2005
Obesity
is related to overeating. Hunger relates to undereating.
Although it might seem counter-intuitive, obesity and
hunger commonly occur side by side even within a single
household.
In 2002, 34.9 million people (including 13.1 million
children) lived in food-insecure, low- income households.
Even so, the highest obesity rates are associated with
the lowest incomes, according to Adam Drewnowski, director
of the Center for Public Health Nutrition of the University
of Washington. This phenomenon, called the "hunger-obesity
paradox," was first mentioned in 1995 by Dr. William
Dietz in a pediatric medical journal.
Studies between 1999 and 2003 confirm that obesity
is a common occurrence in impoverished families. In
fact, a study from the University of California at Davis
found that as food insecurity rose, so did obesity.
This seems to be especially true for women and minority
groups.
Inadequate supply
What is food insecurity? Food insecurity occurs whenever
the availability of safe, nutritionally adequate food
is limited or uncertain.
Some people turn to potentially unsafe food by scavenging
from garbage near restaurants or grocery stores to get
by. Some might eat only noodles with butter for days.
Parents might rely on high-fat foods to prevent hunger.
For years I have seen overweight families living on
very tight budgets eat fast foods or convenience foods
to avoid feeling hungry. I also have seen individuals
who grew up in families with severe hunger who now overeat
because they fear hunger, both physically and emotionally.
Why does obesity occur in those who are hungry? The
answer is unclear. Perhaps the chronic ups and downs
of family finances and intermittent scarcity of food
cause people to eat more when food is available.
Poverty, food insecurity and obesity run hand in hand.
However, the answer is not to reduce the amount of food
available to this group of people. In fact, a study
shows that by giving an increased amount of food, study
participants gained less weight.
A solution
Food-insecure people who participated in food-assistance
programs
had a much lower risk of becoming overweight or obese
compared with those not receiving additional foods.
In other words, when people get adequate food on a regular
basis, they have a lower body mass index.
Here in Olympia, there are hundreds of families that
experience food insecurity and hunger regularly. Our
community food programs such as the Thurston County
Food Bank, Salvation Army, the newly formed Gleaners
Coalition, Hunger not Bombs lunches, Union Gospel Mission,
Catholic Community Services, the W.I.C. program and
the school breakfast and lunch programs are essential
for people who live on the street or on minimum wages.
What can we learn from understanding the paradox of
poverty and obesity? First, don't judge people by what
they eat or what they weigh. Don't make assumptions
about a person's economic level by a person's size.
Understand that most people are doing the best they
can under difficult circumstances. Remember that providing
food assistance will help reduce obesity. Donate regularly
to a food charity or food bank. When you eat, eat well,
be grateful and wish the same for others.
Source: http://159.54.227.3
|
