What do you think of this statement: "In America even the poor people are fat"?

Question

What do you think of this statement: "In America even the poor people are fat"?

Answer 1

It's a silly statement unless you're making comparisons to a really, really  poor country.  There are higher rates of obesity among the poor people in the US in comparison to the rest of the population.  That is partially due to the fact that poor people eat cheap, filling food that is very high in starches, fat and sometimes sugar.  Those substances are not the basis of a very healthy diet.  

Answer 2

We're not starving. Very few people in America are in the extreme poverty levels, classified as less that $1.25 per day. (About 20% of the world is in that category, but very very very few Americans.) High calorie foods are cheaper to produce, hence our poor people are more likely to eat unhealthy high calorie food. The impoverished in America in America are not fat, they are thin and starving, but the general run of the mill poor are often overweight, unlike the developing world where the poor cannot afford enough calories to be fat.

(Of course these are sweeping generalizations and there are many many many counter-examples)

Answer 3

to my fellow yahoo answer users, please engage your brains regardless how incapable of higher planes of thought before , sassy, snappy, or stupid answers. (and please forgive my feeble attempt herein)

The question is reflective of the other nations of the world who adjudge us abet unfairly for the unbelievable cornucopia of wealth though being greatly diminished if not destroyed by our own ignorance and failing stewardship, and blatant mismanagement.

Never in the history of all of humanity has any civilization EVER achieved even 20% of what this Nation has done.

That in oh so many of the other nations of the world only 10 to 15% of their population ever achieve the level of wealth that our middle class achieve at the absolute mid-point between the apex and nadir.

Most of the answers here all have grains of truth to some degree.

But my answer which I freely admit is not the answer undeniably, is if our people are fat, and as we fight among our self constantly imagine what we could achieve, should we choose to do so?

Now this answer was not designed to be either religious or political, but to ask you think, as same is not yet illegal

Answer 4

That it's a good thing to point out - in practically every other country, poor people can't get muc food.  They're emaciated.  Here they are extremely overweight sometimes.  It says something about the society we live in - food isn't a limited resource. If it were, it would be reserved for the rich.  They would eat more of it, and be the heavier ones. Look at what our limiting factors are, compared to other countries.

It does make me feel bad that there are kids dying of starvation in other countries, and here we throw food away.  I can go get a 600 calorie big mac at 3am if I want to.  I'm glad that starvation isn't a problem here, but I wish we could spread our resources around a little more.  

Answer 5

Resource is absolutely a lot more abundant in America.

Answer 6

only our poor have cell phones and cable also.  It is very true.  When we think of our poor we think of lazy people.  These people are so lazy they cannot cook for themselves so they order off the dollar menu at MD's instead of spending  money on flour, milk, hamburger, vegetables and cooking themselves.

Answer 7

When you are that poor in America,you fall off the radar. But you are right people are not eating maggots off their bodies for the protein. Does that make it better.

Answer 8

Compared to the rest of the world, it's true.

Answer 9

Ever been to the "welfare agencies"   AND ever notice they have money for cell phones and cigarettes.

We have the richest poor people in the world and yes they are fat.

Answer 10

Fat doesn't equate to eating healthy.

It's empty calories that fill you up like mac and cheese that people eat to feel full.  

Answer 11

Yes, that's WHY they are fat -- they are poor and they eat cheap, unhealthy food that just so happens to have high amounts of sugar and fat with little to no nutritional value.

Answer 12

True

We have the fattest poor people in the world.

Answer 13

In America the poor people especially are fat, because they can't afford to eat a proper diet and there is big toll from consuming too much cheap high fructose corn syrup and trans-fats.

Answer 14

True.

Here in Southern california anyway...

America doesn't have any "starving" people. Even our poorest can get food in their mouths and a roof over there head with some hard work ( and prob state help )

Even our homeless people are better off than other nations.

You want to see starving and poor people? Go to some parts of Africa or South America.

Answer 15

I think its true..We eat good here...Were either rich or have food stamps..Either way, we get by.

Answer 16

That is true only because the bad, fattening food is more afforable than organic or healthier food choices. Face it, if healthy food was cheap, than people would eat healthy. If you are hungry and ony had five dollars, you could go to mcdonalds and get something before you could go to a healthy resturant and get something.

Answer 17

It shows how shallow the person is who said it.

Answer 18

Well, it doesn't make too much sense, for starters.

The largest percentage of obese individuals in this country are of the lower and lower middle class. "Poor people" in this country are prone to being heavier because unhealthy foods are much cheaper and more accessible than healthy food . Think about it: How many poor looking people do you see at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods? You don't: they're off at McDonalds, where the food to cheaper- and less healthy.

Also, working class people have less money and time for taking care of themselves, working out, etc. Those who are wealthier often have a bit more time on their hands (they're not working two jobs, for example) and the money hire a trainor or a nutritionist, or h**l, even a plastic surgeon.

In other words, I don't understand why it's stated that "even" the poor people are fat. It should be "In America, the poor people are especially fat."

I think it's kind of funny that in many parts of the world, the rich are fat and the poor are thin, but here in the U.S., the rich are thin and the poor are fat.

Answer 19

I think it's true. Part of the problem is the "health care" system. Quality medical care can help those with obesity but not a lot of people have access to it. It frequently IS cheaper to buy unhealthy food.

Answer 20

Its true.  Why deny it.  They have to eat S****y food because the govt would rather waste billions on useless projects like NASA.