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Food Insecure: Fixing the Anomaly of Obesity
Among the Hungry

By Lauren Intriago

When you open your refrigerator, what do you see? You likely have a mixture of milk, eggs, fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheeses. You may even have spoiling food because you have been unable to eat it all. You take it for granted until it is empty. Then it is just a matter of making a list, running to the store, and buying what you need. Or if you have the money, you might order it online and have it delivered. 

The vast majority of Americans have never experienced real hunger. The healthy, nutritious remnants of this week’s steady paycheck are stacked in cold cavernous refrigerators. It may sometimes be a struggle, but going to bed at night with the gnawing ache of hunger isn’t a reality. A life full of barbecues and family gatherings with watermelon, hamburgers, beer, and French fries, has no clue about hunger. Days spent planning meals and events centered around food are the norm. All-you-can-eat buffets fill up bellies so miserably full it is hard to function.

Then there is the minority – the destitute and impoverished. These people live off a single serving of rice and beans daily; their bodies are half-starved and emaciated, suffering from malnutrition. These rare occurrences are foreign as they are usually in remote places or districts not frequented by the better-off. 

Obesity Among The Hungry

However, an emerging area has come to light since the evolution of fast food and frozen concoctions. Obesity among the hungry – they may not be starving but are referred to as food insecure. Obesity is not always about overindulgence. A new generation of adults and children who are nutrition starved, rather than food starved, is making its way into our nation’s cities.

The complications are deep-seated and have a ripple effect. 

• The first and most significant problem is related to the availability of real food. Many grocery stores in these neighborhoods have closed or only carry frozen and canned foods. There is no opportunity to purchase produce or meats, so the staples are high-calorie, sodium-saturated meals. 

• The second issue that contributes to obesity is the cost. Even if there is a supply of fresh foods, the cost is usually much higher. The difference is astronomical for a single mom or someone collecting social security. The focus becomes getting enough food rather than value, and labels are never read. Also, there is often a lack of education about what is good for your body and what is needed besides sustenance.

• The third and perhaps one of the most difficult to overcome is time. Most individuals in the circumstances we are talking about work long hours and have many mouths to feed. Finding time to plan, shop, and cook becomes overwhelming and sometimes impossible. Construction workers, factory employees, and the food service industry, among other jobs, are overworked and underpaid positions. Preparing a meal after work is not even a part of their lives. Instead, the latch-key kid fixes a microwave meal, or the mom picks up a greasy pizza. Breakfast is often skipped or consists of donuts and coffee.

• Another major issue that involves time and education is exercise. These busy, hard-working blue-collar men and women, sometimes working two jobs to make ends meet, do not have a spare minute, so movement outside work is impossible. There are no gyms or free yoga classes to motivate or teach how to have a strong, well-balanced body. 

What Is The Solution?

The solution may be multi-faceted,  just like the problems. Setting up a class at the local community center isn't practical to teach people about food nutrition. Although education can be helpful, that would leave out other key ingredients of the mixture.

Deep in the heart of New York, where a large portion of the food insecurity resides in the poorest areas of the Bronx, some legislation has been passed to remedy the situation. Grocery stores, fruit carts, and farmer’s markets will receive tax incentives to locate and expand in these regions. Additionally, consumers will receive coupons if they spend their food assistance money at the farmer’s market. These ideas will provide easier access to food groups that have not previously been available.

Further changes could be made but not without some consequences for taxpayers. Exercise and yoga teachers could be given tax initiatives to teach in these sectors. City administrators could budget to build community centers with free exercise equipment and classes for all. A center like this could also have a swimming pool, providing exercise and fun for the families living there. Tax breaks could be awarded to taxpayers participating in educational seminars and losing weight due to eating right and exercising. Greasy food joints could be replaced with government-subsidized restaurants to provide healthier foods at a reduced cost. Schools could also get on board and supply meals to students geared toward better nutrition.

While none of these ideas is a quick fix, together with the help of willing participants, the change could occur over time. The first step is recognizing the problem, and obviously, that has happened. With certainty, the Bronx is not the only sector of people in the United States suffering from food insecurity. In recent surveys, as much as 31% of people in Newark are living with food insecurities, and at the state level, officials are saying overall, the South is the hungriest. Mississippi is at the top of that list at 26% statewide. These statistics are baffling in a country so rich financially. 

With more education about this enigma, programs will be put in place to stamp out the fear, frustration, and generational following that is bound to occur. The saying “it is easier to teach a boy than fix a man” certainly applies to these devastating conditions. 

Works Cited

Dolnick, Sam. “The Obesity-Hunger Paradox”. The New York Times. 2010. Accessed 15 August 2019.