The result of increased obesity leads to more health insurance which is an expense that most Americans are unable to afford (and even if you have said coverage often times u still wind up with a crazy medical bill. Thats why i support universal health care). So even though the government is attempting to to get rid of unhealthy foods in schools for example removing soda machines, longer gym classes and providing more healthier lunches there is no evidence based on the report that its working.
To be honest i didn't think it would work. I am not tryna knock the efforts of the government (or am I) in providing healthier lunches in schools cuz I think its important that students eat healthy food that keeps their energy levels high and their brain functioning rather than them being all tired out from the greasy and heavy lunch they ate 40 minutes ago. But that is something hard to keep up with when the same children return home to their neighborhoods where there is a fast food restaurant on every corner or their local supermarket has rotting fruits and veggies or the healthy food available costs more than their parents can afford while unhealthy food is way cheaper.
These are the realities especially if a child lives in an urban neighborhood. Need more proof lets take my neighborhood for example:
I live in Lefrak city, essentially i see it as the center of Queens being that there is everything one would need within walking distance, we have like 4 malls(this is questionable but I guess I will save that for another post), the train station is like 10 minutes away walking distance (which will get you into Manhattan in 20 minutes), you can walk to the pharmacy (which sux but none the less its nearby) there is a gym around the corner..well you get it. Even with all the goodies of a simple and modern life offered in the Corona area, as far as health goes its probably a really bad place to live. Down the block from me is a baskin robins and a dunkin dough nuts which is right next to a brand new 7-11.
On 99th st (around the corner) is a deli which makes sandwiches and other hot meals (burgers, wings, fries etc.), a Chinese restaurant and a pizzeria.
On 57th ( around the corner from 57th) there is a pizzeria, Chinese restaurant, a chicken place, a McDonald's, and another dunkin donuts and baskin robins. and further down 57th is Queens Center Mall which has a shit load of other fast food restaurants where people can go to stuff their faces after spending their hard earned $. So where i live is full of fast food that is cheap quick and easy especially if your a hard working parent who does not have the time or the energy to cook food so grabbing a quick meal seems like the best choice.
Or maybe you want to cook a nice meal, so you visit the local supermarket (which has run the other supermarkets out of business and the two markets available to you are the same and owned by the same people) to get fresh produces and u realize that none of the veggies and fruits are ripe or they are rotting, or they are expensive and there are no other healthier options that won't break your piggy bank.
So as you can see there is not much that people are able to obtain in their own neighborhood in regards to eating healthy. So in my opinion the government is going into schools and providing healthier lunches but what about in the urban neighborhood? why are there so many fast food eateries that take peoples money but don't give back and do not offer any type of healthy food options? why is it that local supermarkets do not provide fresh foods at an affordable price but complain that the people in the neighborhood who support the establishment are complaining? Can i get a local health food store in my neighborhood? why is no one speaking out (including myself)
I feel like the government should not expect people to lose weight just cuz they establish a healthy lunch program...ok that's great but what more can you do?
And most importantly we should not be waiting on the government to provide these things for us we should be rallying and demanding these things from our local neighborhood markets and eateries. Our communities (especially Black and Latino) need to be made aware of the importance of our health and how we can maintain it by eating the proper foods-but how can this happen if we dont have those proper foods made available to us or demand for these foods?
Those of us who are educated on such issues need to get together and attempt to educate others, start organizing, growing our own fruits and vegetables, teaching the future generation about healthy foods and community agriculture. We need to take our health into our own hands being that inorder to fight the powers that be we need strong, healthy bodies who are able to resist and fight for the liberation of our people...
Keep asking questions, being critical and please lets start our day out in a healthier direction...
