Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2013 08:08:22 -0400
From: “Kathy Hotelling”
Subject: Obesity
From Eat Smart Move More North Carolina:
* In North Carolina, two-thirds of all adults (65.7%) are overweight or obese
* North Carolina ranks 5th worst in the US for childhood obesity
* Four of the leading 10 causes of death in the US are related to obesity
While it seems counterintuitive that a state with high poverty rates and children and adults hungry daily, the reality is that processed foods and “junk food” is often what is available to the poor. Drive through any small town in NC where there is one store…a dollar store of some sort. Do those stores sell produce? Yogurt? No, they sell a small array of canned goods, white bread, candy, soda pop, and bagged snack foods. Many people do not
have access to healthy foods. Others, by habit, do not eat them. Even more people don’t exercise on a regular basis.
Obesity coordinator is a new term for an old concept: teaching healthy eating with specific responsibility for lowering obesity rates. This would, I assume, working with schools on providing healthy choices, written materials, workshops, working with families, etc.
Hunger and obesity are not mutually exclusive.
Kathy Hotelling
271 Fearrington Post
Pittsboro, NC 27312
919-265-3390