jhebrink: I have the experience of the statements made in the comment you remarked on. In the 1970’s I worked on programs for the poor and my comments to the local newspapers, which printed many of the articles I sent on pertaining to this topic were never disputed, even by local caseworkers, in fact they agreed with the numbers I provided the public with were correct. Many people I know and also worked with ended up in this same situation. Having worked most of my life until I was no longer physically able to do so, and at my age, no employer will even give me an application, in last nights newspaper there were 6 general jobs listed and 6 listed for medical people-12 total job openings, wow, but then again I live in Flint, Land of Unemployment, Michigan. No surprise there. I now have had to “rely” on the the very program I write/wrote about. Seventeen dollars(my allotment for many years) a month in food stamps does not go far, especially since some of the limited food items I buy have gone up over 100% between March 2008 to Dec, 2008. Yes, I receive a very limited income for the years I worked, but it covers about 40% of the bills like heat and lights. And yes I grew a garden on the lot of an abandon house just to put some food on the table. I worked in the medical field, so I do know nutritionally sound diets compared to processed, junk or fast food, all which cost to much for me to buy. As for government commodities-disabled people are only allowed to receive them once every 3 months and the dollars amount is usually about $5.00-maybe $10.00 at Easter time-you get a 1lb. frozen surplus ham, usually. Several years ago I had took the city to court on a property case, when I had to quote my yearly income of the governments guidelines of poverty, I lived at 53% below their level of poverty-that means for every 1 dollar equal to the poverty level, I lived on 47 cents of that dollar. Now it is no doubt lower as my buying power is almost gone, as are millions of other people in the same situation. Sure there are many who do well on these programs, but not everyone. I have found that those who do well on these programs often times cheat the system. Thankfully they are few.

You are fortunate to be able to provide what is considered a proper diet. Not all people are able to or can.

Been there, done that, but never expected to end up like this.

The map shows us that heart troubles are worse down south. But in nyc we have known for years that ensyme rich fruit and vegetables were just not available in harlem or the South Bronx bodegas. When the bible belt red states see they are being treated like the good people of color maybe we will learn to take our country back together.

>>it would then find out that they do not allow a >>person, like the working poor, elderly, disabled, >>unemployed poor, enough in food stamps to provide a >>nutritionally adequate diet.

purplewolf: really??  Do you have research/data to back a claim that a healthy diet is more expensive than processed food?  That has not been my experience, but I also understand the plural of anecdote is not data.  I also do not want to attempt to blame the victims in this scenario, but your claims sound suspiciously like ideologically tainted rhetoric with no basis in science.  //Just sayin’

Dear Volma-YOU-obviously-had a proper diet when you were growing up-unlike my nephew whose mom thought 1 SLICE of apple and 1 piece of cheese was an adaquate lunch for an 8 year old to take to school.While these items ARE HEALTHY there is not a substantial amount to give adequate nutrition to the child…A child whose parents allowed this kid to play in the FLINT RIVER while they GOT HIGH.[oops..They WERE YOUNG AND DUMB…Let’s let them slide]Now-at 30- he is starting to have health issues..We have NO IDEA what these may be…He finally has a job[for how long] with some insurance[which he pays for] in case he has some a medical issues.We have ALLOWED people to become LAZY and WEAK by giving welfare and not insisting it be earned.I see great grandmothers whose daughters and granddaughters are all living together-ON WELFARE..And WE ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE TO BREED-MORE WELFARE RECIPIENTS…I see the MENTALLY IMPAIRED[my friends daughter raped-impregnated-my friend raising the baby for her 30/mentally 6 year old daughter-and the child is autistic].The care giver who “did the deed” says “the girl wanted it” and she “threw herself at him” and “after all-he is a man”...So I SUPPOSE WE SHOULD ALL BE “do-goodies” and “let him slide”...Because-we all know-he will NEVER BUY DIAPERS or ICE CREAM for HIS RESPONSIBILITY[He also says “it may not even be mine” BUT DNA PROVED OTHERWISE…I am not a “professional blogger”....I have been a stripper-a motorcycle mechanic-a nurses aide-a hairdresser-a hooker-a secretary-used pot in the 60s and 70s-did some LSD in the 60s-and have loads of LIFE EXPERIENCE…I HAVE BEEN THE SHOE….AND I HAVE BEEN THE DOG SHIT….Can YOU STATE THE SAME??????

Anybody notice that this map somewhat resembles another map recently in the news? The NYT made a map showing which counties of the country voted “redder” in 2008 than in 2004. The deepest red area was around the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, etc. - exactly the deepest red parts of this map.

jhebrink: If the government focused on the main reason of diet and poor nutrition, one cause for obesity, but hardly all the causes, it would then find out that they do not allow a person, like the working poor, elderly, disabled, unemployed poor, enough in food stamps to provide a nutritionally adequate diet. Therefore they cannot eat a balanced diet and probably the choices they are left with are cheap, filler food which is no longer cheap to buy anymore, but tends to lead to more health problems because it tends to be starchy. Fruits and veggies are not cheap, even if you grow your own and meat is to expensive for many of the poor today, as for government commodities and churches helping, in Michigan these places are few and far and very limited. Too many working poor for too long have drained these sources since the 70’s just after NAFTA was signed into law.

Volma: you have all the traits of one of those paid bloggers. We here ar TD can usually spot them immediately, as to their “condemning others” because of their own views of the world and I doubt very much that you know Hippy Pam, as to your comment in line 1, “or I don’t know who this person is”.

Babies may not be born with hypertension, but they can be born with a pre-disposition for it as well as heart disease, some cancers, drug addiction and other conditions including alcoholism and diabetes. BTW, everyone who happens to be obese is not necessarily an over-eater, a non-active person, or a person who eats poorly. Some people totally defy medical science, nutritionists, logic and what is currently known about how the human body works or does not, by keeping extremely physically busy, eating a very limited but nutritionally sound diet and still remain obese.

Yes, we know who Steven Hawking is.

Wow Hippy Pam must be a paid blogger, or I don’t know who this person is, maybe just in a hateful mood and venting?? Babies are not born with hypertension, and this is not about congenital birth defects…In fact the whole premise of this study is full of holes…The genes they are talking about show a tendency towards hypertension, not a certainty…They did not talk about taking cultural eating habits into consideration, nor did they talk about the poor health habits that Americans and the UK citizens have. Overeating, eating too much processed and fast foods, jobs that require little to no physical exercise, people who use cars for transportation, who rarely walk…Kids and adults who sit in front of the TV, computer, or game system, as their major source of entertainment…What else could you expect from a population of sedentary people? We do not have to physically toil for our survival, we isolate ourselves from the dangerous world our there of crime and whatever that we hear about on the TV, Radio, Computers every day…I also noticed that the areas in the US map with the least hypertension were more rural area’s…I live in Washington state, and have relatives in Idaho, and surrounding areas, and I know that the diets in Idaho, etc are not considered to be the best for health…But I think that people in farming communities, smaller populations have less stress and more physical exercise…The red areas in Washington state are the most densely populated, high tech jobs, sedentary areas…I doubt that genes have any real influence except for a tendency, and who knows for sure if the environment actually has created these genes in individual, mother natures form of evolution that warns people that they can’t live a certain lifestyle and live very long…Living a stressful life, eating junk food and processed food, being on the go, all the time (mentally, not physically) is very unhealthy and will create a symptom like hypertension to tell you that you need to change or die…This has nothing to do with stupid people or “retarded cripples” and I have a huge problem with that Nazi mentality…I have met people who are labeled as such, and who also teach more, are better people than the supposedly physically normal…One example that everyone knows is the horrible cripple physicist, Steven Hawking, that’s what we get for having do gooders in the world who respect and revere everyone’s right to live…But Hippy Pam’s comments and zippy philosophy is right in line with the Hitler agenda…

I don’t think it is a coincidence that the map showing heart disease rates also seems to indicate a correlation between high heart disease rates, low levels of education and high rates of poverty.  Maybe the government would be well advised to focus on health/nutrition education.

It used to be-in the OLDE DAYS-that weak animals died-soon after birth-and did not pass on their weakness to the next generation…WE KEEP THE WEAK ALIVE-and ENCOURAGE THEM TO BREED-so we can take care of them for the rest of THEIR LIVES..My Thanks to the “do-goodies” of the world.We are now a race of retarded cripples…..