Why are so many people on welfare overweight?

Question

I thought that being poor you would not have enough to eat. I am just curious.

Answer 1

Many foods availlable by foodstamps are contracted by corporations -- they are inexpensive and easy to keep and prepare and high in salt and fat.

So, our social welfare system - instead of finding trainable positions for people - helps maintain a system where poor people will continue to be unhealthy and at a greater risk for medical need -- at welfare system costs.

This isn't meant to protect taxpayers or to help the people who need help in job training, etc. It is to protect the needs of corporate interests who promote unhealthy living.

Answer 2

All the people who are saying stuff like 'it's because they can't buy organic foods'... WHAT A BUNCH OF RETARDS!!!! Jeez, I sincerely hope none of you are older than 18, because if you are, you have led a sheltered, sad life, and you have absorbed nothing but bullshit instead of thinking for yourselves. No matter what age you are, you need to rethink your views on society and what it's roles are in the individual's life. You are basically blaming society for people being fat.... It has nothing to do with society's imagined shortcomings, it has to do with people's own choices as to what foods they eat, and more importantly, THEIR ACTIVITY LEVELS! THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ON WELFARE ARE GETTING GOVERNMENT HANDOUTS BECAUSE THEY ARE LAZY. Keep in mind this is a generalization, hence my usage of the phrase 'the majority'. When I was a kid, my single mother used welfare for a year while she was going to school to be a nurse. After she graduated, she got a good job and stopped collecting. She used the system as it is supposed to be used, as SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME. It is commonly known that the welfare system in it's current form is often abused (more often than not), which is self-evident to anyone who has had the experience of standing in that line. I know of people who have kids for the sole reason of collecting a larger welfare check, and it's not that rare, trust me..... Welfare is jacked up and should be reformed.

Answer 3

You can't afford a health membership, you're probably depressed, probably have to work more than one part-time job so you're exhausted, and packaged food is SO much cheaper and easier to make. It's not that you don't have enough to eat. If you're on welfare you're getting Food Stamps. But they only give you so much so you have to use it how you can and eat what fits your lifestyle.

There are other socioeconomic factors as well, such as education, and family history of poverty and poor eating habits, as well as poor health care - diabetes often goes undiagnosed.

Answer 4

I think most people in all classes and sub-cultures in the u.s. are overweight. How many people have you met on welfare to base this observation on?

Dude I don't what ya'll are talking about but in Texas you can by any food with food stamps including organic and gourmet.

Answer 5

I don't know but that made me laugh and I decided to let you know.

But since I'm here in the answer box, I figured I would take a shot at an answer. Maybe it's because their foodstamps only allow them to buy food that's not exactly beneficial to their health like organic fruits and such.

Answer 6

Because it's so much easier to just sit on your butt all day and collect your check.
If they actually got off their butt, they'd be able to find a job (btw, the unemployement rate is the lowest it's been in something like 20 years), and they'd lose the weight.... but that would require them to actually fend for themselves and take responsibility for themselves instead of blaming someone else.

Answer 7

can't really answer your question directly but have a bit more fuel, there was a time when I was doing poorly and went to the food bank, I was in a room with about 40 people, men, women and children it took only a sec to realize every single one was not just overweight but OVERWEIGHT, as myself and my friend was carrying our much needed food to our humble abode we noticed the types of cars everyone was puting their goodies into, need I say I got a bit judgemental about their need to be there.

Answer 8

often food serves as a substitute or void filler in someones life. one may turn to food to substitute for love. food is always available , never refuses advances,abusing food is no different than abusing alcohol or drugs to cope with life. food satisfies life's most basic need--hunger when food is almost your only pleasure, one tends to abuse it with high fat, high sugar content food that tastes good and is even addictive. ignorance in nutrition and disenfranchisement also contribute sto obesity which in turn erodes self-esteem and the drive to be self sufficent

Answer 9

They can't control what they get basically cause they are being given so it's kind of like they take whatever they can get

Answer 10

that is not true at all, where did u get this study?