Do Food Stamps Cause Obesity

According to Wall Street Journal, “More than 33% of adults who earn less than $15,000 per year were obese, compared with 24.6% of those who earn at least $50,000 per year.” (Izzo 2011) Processed foods such as cheeseburger or French fries tend to be cheaper than buying healthier ingredients and making home cooked food. When people have lower incomes, they do suffer from food insecurity, which is an important connection between poverty and obesity. Two reasons can contribute to obesity: parents are working and are no longer at home with their children and therefore not able to cook balanced meals; and foods with high fat are cheaper than healthy foods.

The Food Stamp Program, now known as, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is the U.S. largest food assistance agency, whose annual budget is $75 billion (U.S. Dept. of Agri., 2012). SNAP was created in 1969 to help combat hunger and improve the nutrition and health of low income families. Indeed, the federal government is acting irresponsibly and contributing to Americas obesity epidemic by allowing SNAP participants to purchase junk food, such as soda; therefore, sugary based beverages should be eliminated as an acceptable food item, expand knowledge regarding nutrition education and wellness programs and lastly, revise SNAP to meet current dietary guidelines and restrict unhealthy foods to benefit recipients.

Understanding the effects of poor and efficient eating habits and how to manage your health is crucial to the existence of a healthy population in the America. To understand these approaches, one has to understand some of the poor eating habits witnessed on most people in the United States. Paula (2015) states that only ten percent of the entire American population follow a daily diet consistent with the federal nutrient recommendations. Other than following the required nutrition, most people prefer meals rich in trans-fats, salt, saturated fat, and sugar and ignore fruits, vegetables, and fiber. The increased preference of poor nutrition contributes a total of four out of six in

Individuals of higher income levels often have private insurance that allows them to see a physician on a regular basis. These individuals are able to prevent many diseases before they exacerbate. They often eat low fat diets or plant based diets. They are educated on their nutritional health and often make better choices when choosing the different types foods to eat. Due to their income, they can afford to eat healthy food and make healthy food choices. Even though these individuals may be predisposed to certain diseases, their diets prevent them from becoming prevalent in their lives. Due to the individual’s socioeconomic status they make enough money that they don’t stress about the necessities in life. These individuals live in areas such as Roswell, Johns Creek. Alpharetta, Buckhead, Kennesaw, and Stockbridge. Individuals of a poor economic status have limited access to healthcare. These individuals often have Medicaid, Medicare, or no health insurance at all. They often eat diets that are high in fat. Individuals of poor economic status aren’t often educated about eating healthy. They often eat unhealthy because it is too expensive to eat healthy. These individuals often receive government subsidiaries such as WIC and SNAP benefits for themselves and their children. There aren’t many healthy food stores if any at all in these neighborhoods. Stores such as Whole Foods, Sprout, and Trader Joe’s aren’t located in poverty stricken communities because the individuals can’t afford the prices. It is a disadvantage that the grocery chains in the neighborhood don’t offer the resident a healthier option. Individuals of poor economic status often fight chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and often cancer. They often live sedentary lifestyles that contribute to these diseases. They eat diets that are high in red meats one that contributes to

Obesity is a problem in different areas throughout the world; obesity is a major problem in the United States of America. The food industry in the U.S. has changed. Food is cheaper and easier to access, but food is lower in quality and is massively produced (Kenner, 2008). Food is no longer as hard to come by as it once was and is not as expensive, but healthy food is more expensive and, most of the time, requires trips to the grocery store. In American society today, American are busy and have minimal time to exercise, cooking, or even go to the grocery store. The lower socioeconomic classes are notably affected as a result of individuals and families of lower socioeconomic classes often can’t afford healthy food from local grocery stores

Eighteen percent of America is currently on food stamps. Why is that so? Food stamps allow just about anyone to qualify. Most of those on food stamps are able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) (Hoar). Why is it that so many people are on food stamps? Maybe because it is lenient with its rules. Being on food stamps does not give someone a comfortable and easy lifestyle, but it is comfortable enough. It is no secret that obesity is a growing epidemic in America. Food stamps are one of the major roots of the problem. Imagine getting to stay home and not have to go to work. The government sends checks in the mail to spend on groceries, but it gets better. The government does not prohibit the purchase of junk food. Those people can now indulge

For numerous amounts of people, fruits and vegetables may take a backseat to other foods such as junk food, but for many these healthy food choices are just not options. This is a very widespread issue that has swept the nation and the individual cities that formulate it. In particular, the lack of food security in Columbus, Ohio has had devastating effects for many residents, especially those who live in rural areas and the many underserved communities. These effects include being more prone to chronic diseases and unhealthy Body Mass Index (BMI) measurements. For adults “Twenty-five percent of Franklin County, Ohio, adults say they don’t eat five servings of foods and vegetables each day” (NLC). The residents of Columbus City should be able

Three times a day, millions of Americans peruse the varied array of food items on the dollar menu at the local fast food chain restaurant simply because it is their only affordable source of nourishment. Financial health and physical health are directly correlated in that healthy food contributes to superior physical well-being. However, this must mean that those who cannot afford a nutritious diet are those with poor physical health. The United States Census Bureau quantified nearly twenty-three percent of Houstonians living below the poverty line in 2015. In Radiolab’s “America’s Myths of Poverty,” James Baldwin observed that underprivileged families are unlikely to consume healthy meals because healthy food costs

Over the past few decades, obesity rate has grown drastically in the United States. “A third of U.S. adults are obese” (Brady 519), placing them at a higher risk for diseases, and increased healthcare spending. It a preventable nutritional problem that affects people of all ages, gender and race, with minority groups and people of low socioeconomic status disproportionately affected. It is a multifaceted problem with many issues at its root. Obesity is the result of our agricultural policies, present economic condition, and unhealthy lifestyle.

For instance, some people who receive food stamps are most likely cheating the system. Some cases have been investigated, come to find out, some people have been receiving food stamps, but have been working under the table. Making enough money to pay rent, pay their light bill and buy food. This is called food stamp fraud. Some consequences can be discontinuing their food stamp account for a specified amount of time. Some people get charges at a misdemeanor or felony level, or possibly facing one year in jail and a fine to pay. If the fraud was involving large amounts of money, that accused person could be facing five years in prison, several years of probation, or an even bigger fine. The positive thing about this is, most people get caught. Therefore, they do not have to worry about very many people trying to get over on the

In our culture there 's a push for health and wellness and countless Americans are moving at such a rapid pace it is difficult to obtain a healthy lifestyle. With society’s push for success, it can shift our attention towards other priorities and neglect things like our diets. Our basic source of fuels comes from oxygen, water, and food. A great deal of convenient foods that are available tend to be loaded with added sugars. With our ever going lives, we gravitate towards effortlessness. Prepackaged foods for sale in grocery stores, fast food chains and restaurants are quick and cheap. Trying to maintain a healthy diet can be time consuming and expensive. Junk food vendors conveniently line the walls of workplaces, airports, shopping

There are many nutrition advocates that fight for this healthy modification to go ever further and spread to the federal food stamp program. However, at the same, time the other side of the food industry has much opposition. Because of the fact that they sell soda and unhealthy snack foods they are at the source of the obesity problem. Also, anti-hunger organizations have spoke out and made it clear they were against further government action. In their opinion any food stamp reform will come down to an argument that people will only spend their stamps on junk food, and the program should be eliminated

In America more than 35.7% of the population is obese or overweight. (“Overweight and Obesity Statistics”). That is nearly around 78.6 million people in America (‘’Obesity in U.S.’’). Americans are drastically becoming more obese over the years. There are a few americans who practice the habit of physical exercise and many who have a habit of super-sizing. Foods in America are available anywhere and people become overwhelmed when they see food ads. The percentage of our economy who have lower income tend to choose foods that are unhealthy because it's cheaper to afford. This leads to many health problems that people aren't aware of or they choose to disregard it. People who live in lower income neighborhoods maybe not be able to get out

Changing the average American diet is not as difficult as it sounds. Providing the public with proper information about food and what is actually in it, along with making healthy food choices readily available to the average citizen will go a long way to curbing and preventing the obesity epidemic. The benefits of eating healthy are monumental. A longer, more active,

The United States has the highest amount of people below the poverty line in its history. Since these people make below $20,000 dollars a year, their only way of feeding themselves is buying the cheapest food. The cheapest food in a food market is almost always processed food. These types of foods do not have the best nutrient content. Eating these types of foods more frequently can increase a person’s risk of becoming obese. One of the many reasons people consume processed foods is because they are very cheap “The relative price of fresh fruits and vegetables it’s gone up by 40% since 1980 when the obesity epidemic first began. In contrast, the relative price of processed foods has gone down by about 40%” (A Place at the Table). Since processed foods are cheap, people under the poverty line will mostly buy these types of foods. Sometimes people under the