
J. Emilio Flores for The New York Times FAST FOOD Experts say a key bridge between hunger and obesity is the scarcity of healthful options in low-income areas.
Sad story in today’s NY Times, about malnutrition despite an overabundance of calories in inner city neighborhoods. Lack of affordable, accessible healthy foods. Ubiquitous unhealthy food that promotes diabetes and obesity.
“Hunger and obesity are often flip sides to the same malnutrition coin,” said Joel Berg, executive director of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger. “Hunger is certainly almost an exclusive symptom of poverty. And extra obesity is one of the symptoms of poverty.”
Poor people “often work longer hours and work multiple jobs, so they tend to eat on the run,” said Dr. Rundle of Columbia. “They have less time to work out or exercise, so the deck is really stacked against them.”