re: Welfare and Obesity

<blockquote><b>Quoting ¡VinHautℰ!:</b>" I think if we're going to have a program like this (food assistance programs) then we need to go full ... [snip!] ... processed crap. I feel it's a big problem in America, a lot of Americans are simply ignorant when it comes to proper nutrition."</blockquote>




I hear you on that. Did you watch the Jamie Oliver show where he went to the fattest town in America and tried to reform school lunches? Most of the kids in the elementary school couldn't identify ANY fresh vegetables.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Punk Rock Princess {EBFT}:</b>" My aunt and uncle have 3 kids and still have enough foodstamps to buy steak and stuff, our grocery budget is 1/4 what they get and we only eat healthy/whole foods!"</blockquote>




It also depends on the ages of your kids too. My 7 year old eats a fourth of what my 16 year does. That doesn't mean that you can't eat healthy I've stoppedbuying chips & cheezits ect... because my teenagers would eat a whole box after school if I let them. (My kids are not overweight btw)

Quoting Deborah Stechschulte:" I"m on food stamps with 3 kids. I know how to eat healthy, I feed my children healthy meals -- my daughter ... [snip!] ... lobster? How you purchase and manage your groceries is none of my business, so don't make mine yours simply because I'm poor."

Lol, my point was if they can afford steak and lobster, they can afford to eat healthy and the "crap is cheap" argument doesn't apply. Some would say it's everyones business because our tax money pays for food stamps.

the idea someone had to reformulate it like wic would be awesome. i received foodstamps for 3 months when i was off work due to my son having surgery. they gave me a TON of foodstamps. if it is based on your income, there is no reason why they cant make healthier food choices their selves, but as punkrock said, beggars cant be choosers

I'm short on time so i ddint read all 3.
IMO, classes would benefit everyone (FS or not) and should be mandatory to get into the program.
BUT, i dont think FS should be used for anything but necessities and they shouldnt go to "junk."
I favor a WIC-like program with wholesome foods that arent all low in calories as most kids arent fat. but, lots of crap would be restricted and only available for the recipients own dollars and not government money.

Quoting MAIKENTRA:" Yeah, but it's kind of like the bullsmurf thing where Florida wanted to to mandate drug testing in exchange ... [snip!] ... gotta know that cheetos aren't good for you or your family. People will do what they please, and that includes eating crap. "

People will do what they please, but they don't have to use foodstamps to do it, that's the point.

BTW I don't necessarily believe all the ideas I'm throwing out there. I'm playing devils advocate because I like a good discussion and challenging people and myself makes for good discussion.  

<blockquote><b>Quoting MAIKENTRA:</b>" Yeah, but it's kind of like the bullsmurf thing where Florida wanted to to mandate drug testing in exchange ... [snip!] ... gotta know that cheetos aren't good for you or your family. People will do what they please, and that includes eating crap. "</blockquote>




Then let them purchase crap on their own dime is what shes saying. The gov money should only go to nutritious food IMO. And drug testing for welfare is a good idea too.

I'm actually jealous of my family on foodstamps, though I couldn't do what they do because I would feel guilty. If we got foodstamps we could buy more natural/organic foods.

Quoting ღ Diana ღ:" I was fat way before I got assistance. I actually went through a terrible depression a couple years ago ... [snip!] ... ago and gained a lot of weight but I have lost a lot since then and I get FS. I think it's ridiculous to connect the two. "

obviously its not EVERY SINGLE overweight person on assistance. you have to admit the direct correlation between the two though...

Quoting Deborah Stechschulte:" I"m on food stamps with 3 kids. I know how to eat healthy, I feed my children healthy meals -- my daughter ... [snip!] ... lobster? How you purchase and manage your groceries is none of my business, so don't make mine yours simply because I'm poor."

It would still cost money to administer health screenings. I think arming people with information would be a better resource to spend money on, especially since obesity is not the only marker of poor health.

You may be the exception, but as those articles note, there is a bigger problem happening here and it would make sense to try and develop some reforms to solve it. Nutritional counseling is but one of dozens of suggestions.

I didn't read all of it, but I don't think food stamps should be like WIC. I get food stamps, and I tell you I'm scared to death to use my card because of all the judgement. Sometimes I'll go to the store and then go home and be hungry because I feel like no matter what I buy, I get judged that it isn't 'healthy enough' or that I'm too lazy to work for my food, or whatever. It's not the end of the world when someone buys one box of brownie mix with their food stamps. The only thing that judgement does is hurt people.

I don't know how I feel about classes being mandatory for people on assistance. They should be offered, but I don't really think they should be required. Lots of people work and don't have time for that. When I got on FS, I had a brand new baby, and there was no way I could take her to a class like that and I wasn't going to leave my newborn with someone.

Quoting Sofia's Mummy♥:" <blockquote><b>Quoting ¡VinHautℰ!:</b>" I think if we're going to have a program ... [snip!] ... America and tried to reform school lunches? Most of the kids in the elementary school couldn't identify ANY fresh vegetables."

I did see it. It was entirely disappointing.

I don't think that its that people don't know which foods are better for them. (You can ask a 5yr old, "Do you think this bowl of broccoli is better for you, or this doughnut" and most of the time they will give the correct answer) Honestly I think the reason society as a whole (at least in America) is overweight is mainly due to laziness. People don't exercise like they used to, and most of the "bad for you food" is faster and easier to fix. I do the exact same thing sometimes. If you are stressed, overwhelmed, and have a short time to get things fixed......most likely for me its going to be hamburger Helper or hotdogs.

Quoting Liam + 37 weeks!:" <blockquote><b>Quoting MAIKENTRA:</b>" Yeah, but it's kind of like the bullsmurf thing ... [snip!] ... dime is what shes saying. The gov money should only go to nutritious food IMO. And drug testing for welfare is a good idea too."

Actually, it's not. It cost everyone a ton of the tax payers money and showed absolutely no economic benefit whatsoever (proven). Even though Florida, from what I heard, has a pretty bad drug problem, it's usually the working class (75% of drug users did not rely on government benefits, or it was at least a really high number) and not the impoverished. It's also pretty unconstitutional. I mean, how much freedom are we willing to give up in exchange for government benefits? Not a fan of the government telling grown adults what they can and cannot buy. If they really wanted to make a difference, they'd stop mass-producing processed food and meat with antibiotics in it. American food is disgusting. I mean, it's delicious, but it's disgusting. All that processed smurf is pretty addictive.

Limiting what you can purchase while on food stamps isn't an awful idea, but I don't think it'll have any effect on the obesity problem within the ranks of those impoverished/poor. And if it costs more money than it's worth, which it probably will (as far "nutrition classes" go), then I'm not okay with it whatsoever. Kind of like how making drugs illegal doesn't really stop people from using them.