Washington County public health officials are struggling with a worldwide problem, as those in lower socioeconomic classes continue to have poor diet quality.
Lemon Diet
Federal health officials have for years quantified the link between class and nutritional intake.
Each recipient of support through Washington County’s Women, Infant and Child program (WIC) receives a $26 voucher redeemable at any of the region’s local farmers markets. The vouchers can be only used to purchase fruits and vegetables, officials said at Wednesday’s meeting of the county Board of Supervisors Health Committee.
Lemon Detox Diet
But only $11,000 worth of the vouchers, a small fraction of what was sent out in 2011, was redeemed, according to Washington County Treasurer Al Nolette. That’s out of a total of $1.1 million in total WIC checks spent last year.
“There’s a real unfamiliarity with even how to use most vegetables among many people,” county Public Health Director Patricia Hunt told supervisors.
And it’s not like local officials and agencies haven’t tried to change that.
Cornell Cooperative Extension conducts nutritional outreach programs and cooking classes for lower-income families at local food pantries throughout the region. The aim of the program is to change the eating habits for those in need.
Some local officials see the issue a fundamental aspect of the culture of poverty.
“Maybe we can teach them, but they have no interest in cooking,” said George Armstrong, supervisor of Whitehall.
And several county supervisors aren’t seeing any change in the culture of poverty on the ground.
“They’ll walk passed a table of fresh fruits and vegetables, go to the refrigerator and grab a pack of hot dogs,” said Salem Supervisor Seth Pitts of his local pantry.
The division between nutritional choices and economic strata are driving an explosion of poor, obese children and adults, the National Institute of Health reports.
Fat Chance: Diet Coke Fights Obesity?
For related articles and more information, please visit OCA's Food Safety page and our Millions Against Monsanto page.Overweight 6-Year-Old Vows To Change Lifestyle After Second Heart Attack
HOUSTON—Describing his second heart failure in the span of two years as “a real wake up call,” obese 6-year-old Nicholas Bleyer announced Tuesday that he was finally trying to turn his life around.Obesity rates rise in county schools
By the time students in Forsyth County reach high school, more than 40 percent of them are overweight or obese, according to a BMI study released by Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools.