"Some of the fattest people in America are among the poorest. And with food prices rising, the problem is likely to get worse."
These are the opening words of a front-page Philadelphia Inquirer story of May 6, 2008, titled "Food costs likely to boost obesity in poor," detailing the proven links between impoverished households and neighborhoods, the fast food that is often the only affordable source of nourishment in such environments, and the increased incidence of obesity among the poor brought on by the steady consumption of such fare, as opposed to a healthier, but increasingly expensive, diet of fruits and vegetables.
"In U.S. households making less than $15,000 a year, 31 percent of the women are obese, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In households with more than $50,000 annually, 17 percent are obese."
Prof. Mariana Chilton, Principal Investigator of The GROW Project, is quoted in the article: "[Poor hungry people are] not thinking about health - just getting through the day."
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