Food Banks and Diabetes
This article in the NY Times exposes, albeit tangentially, some of the misinformation spread around about “food insecurity”. For example:
- Many who depend on food pantries are not underfed, but are, like Ms. Lathon, obese and diabetic, experts have found. In 2014, one-third of the 15.5 million households served by Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, reported that a household member had diabetes.
- A growing body of research links food insecurity to uncontrolled diabetes. Diet is partly to blame: The inexpensive food favored by people stretching their dollars is often low in fiber and rich in carbohydrates, which contribute to obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
The bottom line is that we need to make sure these places serve healthy food like the one in this article. We cannot keep creating diabetics under false pretenses. We have written about this before and at least this article is shining a light on it though it is years late. I still appreciate the honesty.
For your amusement, read page 17 of the yearly report of Feeding America as well as the least of “leading donors” at the end. It is all the big food industrial leaders. This is a way for food companies to launder money by donation and funnel it to obtain lobbying in their own interest. http://www.feedingamerica.org/about-us/about-feeding-america/annual-report/2015-feeding-america-annual.pdf
It is a promising story in some ways, but a big red flag in others.
““We were just scraping by,” said Ms. Lathon, 56, who works full time as a technician for the Harris County Health Department.”
Works full time!!! Just scraping by!!! What’s wrong with this picture?