Fighting Hunger. Feeding Hope.
July 21, 2010

Almost a third of U.S. children are overweight, but many are also hungry?

Author: Maria Ali

Almost a third of U.S. children are overweight, but many are also hungry? Almost a third of U.S. children are overweight, but many are also hungry? Does it make sense?

Click here to read more: Eating Nutritiously A Struggle When Money Is Scarce

This article highlights some of the complexities of hunger in America. It’s not just about getting enough food, but getting enough of the right kinds of food, as well as understanding the importance of making the right choices.

It can be very challenging to eat healthy on a tight budget, but have we considered what price we are paying to not eat healthy? What price are our children paying? What affect has it had on our communities?

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack stated  there is a similarity between low-income families trying to stretch scarce food dollars with high-calorie processed foods, “and youngsters who are just flat out not getting fed because their parents don’t have the resources to feed them.”

Elaine Livas, who runs Project SHARE, a food pantry in Pa., expressed that there’s something else to consider. As the nation becomes more health conscious, she’s noticing less healthy food coming to her pantry. She’s getting more sugar-coated cereals, for example, than the high-fiber ones she used to receive. “We can’t really complain that the poor are heavier, when what we’re donating is our kind of castaways,” she says.

What are your thoughts?

Maria Ali, RD, LD/N
Nutrition Manager

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2 Responses to “Almost a third of U.S. children are overweight, but many are also hungry?”

  1. Tweets that mention Second Harvest Food Bank: Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida » Blog Archive » Almost a third of U.S. children are overweight, but many are also hungry? -- Topsy.com Says:
    July 21st, 2010 at 9:55 am

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Food Bank of CFL and P. Remy, DreamWrangle. DreamWrangle said: RT @2harvestCFL: Blog post: Almost a third of U.S. children are overweight, but many are also hungry: http://bit.ly/cc3OcA Does it make … [...]

  2. Rene Flohr Says:
    July 26th, 2010 at 12:49 pm

    This article is so timely. I just wrote a small blog entry on this topic as an observation Things that make us go hmmm.

    We see children that are both Obese AND Malnourished at the same.

    As a food supplier, what is encouraging is that we are seeing a growing trend that Food Banks and Non-Profits are starting to take the lead on requesting for helathier foods high in Protein, Fiber, Good Fats and Balanced Nutrition.

    We hope that this is a great sign for things to come.

    FeedItForward


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