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Yesterday, while announcing a plan to ban trans-fats in schools, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released a report noting that almost 60% of New Yorkers are overweight or obese. And, in the five boroughs, 55% of the population is overweight or obese! You can read the study (PDF), but here's a breakdown: In the Bronx, 62.7% of residents (586,419) are overweight or obese; in Brooklyn, it's 58.6% (1,056,457 residents); Manhattan: 42.3% (541,135); Queens: 57.6% (990,809); and Staten Island: 57.7% (190,681). CityRoom spoke to epidemiologist Andrew G. Rundle who "said that at the neighborhood level socioeconomic and demographic factors were the strongest predictors of obesity rates"—wealthy neighborhoods have lower rates of obesity while poorer neighborhoods have higher ones. "[Rundle] has found that even when adjusting for poverty and race, at least three factors are associated with lowering obesity: proximity to supermarkets and groceries where fresh produce is sold; proximity to parks; and access to public transportation, which reduces reliance on cars."
55% Of NYC Is Overweight
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It is a strange irony that 100 years ago, one of the biggest problems in poorer neighborhoods was not having enough food to eat... And now, there is plenty of food to eat, but it is all unhealthy junk. I guess there is still much to be done with regards to public health...
Forget the recent 100 years. The great old US of A is the first civilization in the history of mankind to have made obesity a problem amongst poor people.
Since the dawn of man, not having enough to eat has been a staple of being poor, but this country has managed to buck the trend.
hmm, should we thank McDonalds for their $1 menu?? it's truly a shame, every time i see someone classified as "poor" or lower class, they are always munching on some kind of fast food, like WTF??
In a typical supermarket/bodega, bread isn't bread. It is white flour and not whole grain. Pasteries contain hydrogenated oils, fruit flavor additives, artificial coloring. Many fruit juices consist of corn syrup, water, and some small percentage fruit juice. So maybe food prices have gone down if adjusted for inflation but in return you get less real food and more fillers. So when they say capitalism brings down prices, they forgot to mention that it drives producers to cut costs by substituting real food with stuff that taste and look like food.
Another Michael Pollan fan, I see. Kudos.
Waddle your fat ass down to the nearest grocery store once a week, and then sit down and do some basic third grade math. Then you will realize its cheaper to buy and cook food than to go to Crown Fried Chicken.
...down to the grocery store that has rotten produce that is more expensive than Church's or Crown. Its not that simple. No Whole Paycheck or Trader Joe's with organic shittake in the 'hood. Sorry...
The BMI is absolutely ludicrous.
I'm a 27 year old guy. I'm 5'11 and weight 190. I'm "overweight" by these standards, yet I sure look fine in the mirror.
I completely agree that BMI is a lousy indicator of actual obesity. They really should use better, more time consuming methods when they do these studies. Any study that puts a junkie into the healthy category and an athlete into the obese category should not be used to make any kind of decision about public health.
Still, the factors they point out in terms of access to fresh produce and opportunities for cardiovascular exercise are right on spot.
Add 2 inches, a couple pounds and a couple years and I'm in the same boat. It's a ludicrous standard that breaks down for people above average height... could part of the issue be the general increase in "tallness" in the population?
The BMI is absolutely ludicrous.
I'm a 27 year old guy. I'm 5'11 and weight 190. I'm "overweight" by these standards, yet I sure look fine in the mirror.
Heh, are you my twin? I am 27, 5'11, 190lbs.
So I am guessing this is the average?
I've always heard that because of public transportation and a pedestrian-centric environment the obesity rate in New York is actually significantly lower than the rest of the county. Exactly how obese is the rest of the country?
For whatever reason, most of the statistics are on the state level. I couldn't easily find a nationwide rate. Also the NYC study doesn't breakout obese and overweight. Most of the state stats are obese only.
Actually, it's not cheaper for the poor to just go to the supermarket and get fresh veggie/fruits/meat to cook. When you have $1 menu meals that can feed your whole family and still have something left over, supermarket doesn't seem like a good alternative. Go catch Food, Inc. and you'll see.
If the household income is $30,000-$40,000 it's obvious they will be buying fatty meats, going to Burger King and other fast foods places. Good quality food cost money, which they don't have the luxury of buying.
organic food is expensive. yes. Regular good food and simple vegetables are not expensive. If a bodega doesn't have simple non-processed things, then I'm sure a supermarket is not too far away.
there is NO excuse for being obese.
not long ago I made 30K, lived in Manhattan, and never went to fast food restaurants, and instead i COOKED simple healthy meals (not organic stuff)
the $1 'meals' at McDonalds keep you full for about 25 min btw....
I was reading in Men's Health the 30 worst fast foods in the country.
It is disgusting that some of these chains would actually feed this stuff to their customers.
I understand the concept of personal responsibility, but not every place has nutrition information. And the fact that the Baskin' Robbins Oreoa drink is the caloric equvilent of eating 20 bowls of fruit loops and has 120 grams of fat in the drink, I think that it should be considered posionous to humans and not be sold at all.
BMI is horseshit since it doesn't take into account whether the body composition is muscle or fat.
That said, these fatties need to eat better, eat less and get some fucking exercise, or pay for that second subway seat they're taking up.
Man, if I had a dollar every time I get on a subway and see a fatty take up 2 seat I wouldn't need to use the subway anymore. I'll just take a cab.
and its a viscious cycle. The fatter they are, the harder it is for them to stand under their own power and the more they need a seat(s)
I say we put the fatties in Camps. Make em do manual labor until the weight comes off. Oh, and deny welfare / medical benefits from anyone who is over 300 lbs.