Recent reports indicate that far too many Texas children battle the twin, and seemingly paradoxical challenges of hunger ("food insecurity") and obesity.
How can this be?
Here's a report news report from Austin, Texas.
Garcia: Texas children sandwiched between hunger and obesity
Eileen Garcia, Local Contributor
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Two recent reports relayed bad and seemingly paradoxical news for Texas children. According to the latest research, our Texas kids, more than almost any in the country, face threats from both hunger and obesity.
Nearly one out of four Texas children is "food insecure," meaning they might not know where their next meal will come from, says a July 1 report from Feeding America, which ranked Texas 49th in the country for providing reliable food access for children under 18. The same week, however, the Trust for America's Health announced Texas children suffer disproportionately from obesity. More than 20 percent of kids here are obese, and Texas had the seventh-highest child obesity ranking.
Underlying these statistics is a sad reality: Too many children get poorly nourished because their environment—at school, in the neighborhood and their community—proves inhospitable to healthy eating. Four factors help explain why.
To read on, click here.
We've got to focus and find ways to do better. What do you think?
What kind of food do these "feeding stations" serve? In my experience children will not eat much produce.
ReplyDeleteI think about this often. A country with a hunger problem AND an obesity problem. Stunning. I find this ridiculously unacceptable. Have you laid eyes on what is served to kids as a free breakfast or lunch? It infuriates me. So many wonder why we have such issues nationally with having to pay huge amounts of money for those with health issues and no money. HELLO? Do you see what is being used as fuel? I wouldn't DARE eat what is served at my kids' public school. The school I taught at in Carrollton TEN years ago had a fresh salad bar for kids in the lunchroom. Guess what? They ate it. Amazing, right? Not really. Kids really will eat yummy, nurtitious food if they are hungry. So many middle class kids are horribly spoiled and parents think they'd never eat fruits or vegies. I don't buy it. What if that's all that's offered? I agree with a lot of what was stated in the article, but some of it is an excuse. A client I had yesterday said her TWO year old was going to have dental surgery this week from completely rotten teeth due to ONLY drinking Dr. Pepper. She was also needing Medicaid for her new pregnancy. So, plenty of money for cigarettes and DR. PEPPER for her BABY, but no money for a doctor. Dr. Pepper costs a lot more than water from the sink. I don't work with the people you work with, Larry, so I probably struggle having as much patience as you do. I struggle mightily with patience for adults who inflict their own idiotic behaviors on their children. The kids DID NOT choose that life. I wish our country would see that if we would focus on the youngest among us who have no input into their lives, we might have a better shot at breaking the cycle. Our pregnacy crisis center offers classes to earn points for baby items. I am currently planning a pregancy, baby and toddler nutrition class for soon-to-be mommies. I could go on and on about this.... but I'll stop now. :)
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