General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: The 7 most obese states... [View all]Dragonfli
(10,622 posts)choices are limited, due to mobility issues (transportation limitations for working poor can be quite restrictive depending on the area and public transportation).
Financial restrictions (good food is beyond many budgets, cheap calories are not)
Changes in processed food found in low end grocery stores over the years (corporations spend tons of money to make food as addictive as possible, the grail is to add the perfect amount of sugars, fat, and salt to accomplish more consumption and therefore profit)
Education, understanding - you did mention education, it is very true, when working two or three low paying jobs one does not have time to learn how to sort through the food options available at Aldies, or Price Rite where almost all of the food IS over processed but cheap enough to purchase a weeks worth within a limited budget.
I am very poor now due to bad health, advancing age and local economic problems, I am not fully disabled but can only work limited hours and not within the trades where my experience allows for much better pay, ironically soon my health will be so poor and my joints so screwed up I imagine I will be disabled and hopefully 40 years of FICA payments with return in the form of insurance allowing me subsistence. Until then, the only way to eat healthy is "poor vegetarian", mostly salad, rice and beans. To buy regular food at the Aldies (over processed stuff on the shelves), would likely make me obese and harm my health even more.
I do think in the world of professionals, a world of surgeons, lawyers and others of that type of earner, where money and mobility issues are not a factor, one could afford to make healthy choices, so your advice is sound to the life you know, and l thought you were sensitive in how you advocated for healthier choices.