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Manhattan may be more expensive to live in, but, hey, apparently Manhattan residents are less fat and more in shape than folks in other boroughs.
The other week, the city's Health Department released a survey that showed New Yorkers were gaining weight at a rate nearly three times that of other Americans, packing on a total of 10 million pounds between 2002 and 2004, becoming more obese and more diagnosed with diabetes. The Times explains why Manhattan can claim less-obese honors:
Over all, more than 300,000 New Yorkers get to work on foot. But Manhattanites tend to walk more than people who live and work in the rest of the city. They’re more likely to walk to the bus or subway. Walk up and down stairs to stations. Even walk all the way to work. They’re less obese than New Yorkers in other boroughs, regardless of race or income.So you may have much less apartment space for the rent you're paying, but you can think about that as an investment in your waistline! For others, pace around your roomier apartment.
The Health Department is concerned about people drinking soda, because soda drinks are "empty calories." Health Department epidemiologist told the Times, "Your brain doesn’t register when you drink. You’re better off eating 400 calories of jelly beans than drinking 400 calories of soda.”
Photograph by Triborough on Flickr
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i think this study, and the author of this article, forgot to mention that healthy, fresh, nutritional food is less available in the outer boroughs. And even if it was, a lot of people could not afford it.
I disagree with you, kat283. I'm a Manhattanite now but originate from SI. On SI there is plenty of affordable produce in the super markets. We also grew our own vegetables. I think too many people are suckers for fast food and junk food. Too much sugar and too many carbs.
i thought the New York Times pretty much debunked the myth that there is no access to fresh fruit and vegetables in poor neighborhoods.
Still waiting for modern science to make junk food healthy...
www.forgotten-ny.com
There's plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables available in the poor neighborhoods, but there's also plenty of MacDonald's and very tired mothers with screaming brats to feed quick. Busboys and manual workers want the fix of fried chicken to make them feel better cheap, so the fried chicken places abound. It's more complex than anyone realizes. There are a lot of reasons people eat badly, and it's not just the availability factor.
Like, for example, when you're miserable and paid crap to work all day long and people treat you with disrespect because you're an immigrant, you're more apt to go buy yourself a nice (cheap) greasy fried chicken and fries dinner at the chinese restaurant (and yes, even the chinese restaurants do fried chicken in my neighborhood!). It's the next best thing to getting totally soused. You're not going to get the same high from a mango you buy from the mango lady on the corner.
New York even the boroughs have a lot of fresh produce I noticed. I haven't been to,like, the south bronx but I'd imagine the local fruit stand is still on a lot of corners. Unless they aren't, like in chicago where there are actual food deserts, and it's no wonder why people get fat who are poor.
It's like, hmmmm, I can have jungle juice, colt 45, a twinkie or hostess bread and bologna.
not much of a choice.
I don't know how people can get fat in New york. If you go into a burger king or a mcdonald's a complete meal cost's 6-7 bucks. and that's not enough to get you fat. all those fat people must be rich.
3 things that I have noticed.
1) Fat people eat salad
2) Fat people drink diet soda
3) Fat people exercise a lot
I don't suggest there's a causal connection. I can't fathom how much fatter they would be without 1, 2 , or 3. But ... 3 other things I've noticed.
1) Skinny people eat meat
2) Skinny people drink water
3) Skinny people don't exercise
Now it is true that vegans are skinny. But their unhealthy palor and wretched skin conditions (and morbid sensibility) disqualifies them from consideration. And people who exercise are never skinny, at best wiry or stringy.
So what is my point? Exactly. I have none.
It's all about portions and exercise. You can eat whatever you want in moderation.
I see people ordering 3 burgers or finishing an entire carton of sesame chicken in one sitting. It's way too much. If they're poor, why are they ordering so much food? I'm really cheap so I rarely get more than 1 slice of pizza.
Groceries are way cheaper in the outer boroughs. It's a matter of lifestyle vs education. I dont know how anyone in Manhattan can afford to be fat with gym/rent/mortgage/food costs..
It's already been mentioned the average Manhattanite probably has higher levels of educational attainment which should result in healthier lifestyles as well. Sure, there are the exceptions (and I know someone will jump the gun on this one and talk about Mr. Trust Fund Fatass or Ms. Bryn Mawr Burgers) but the correlational relationship is certainly a contributing factor. As for why, you've already heard some explanations that seem legitimate.
Healthy food choices do indeed exist in virtually every neighborhood in the city, and outside Manhattan those foods are less expensive than inside (though maybe proportionately more expensive compared to overall income, I don't know).
But the operative word here is "choices." People who make smart choices are more likely to have the money to be able to live in Manhattan, and those same people tend to make smart choices in other aspects of their lives.
Since "stop snitchin" is on the way out we can start the "stop stuffin" campaign.
(Takes a moment or two to gloat in self-congratulatory svelteness).
At least the subway does not have cupholder sized for 32+ ounce big gulps, unlike suburban SUVs.