In "Obese and Poverty: are Food Stamps to Blame?", an article about the impact of food stamps on the obese and poverty, authors Lauren Kupillas and Mary Nies describe the effectiveness of the Food Stamp Program (FSP) to increase food consumption but its ineffectiveness in decreasing obesity. Kupillas and Nies explain, "FSP participants demonstrated significantly increased consumption of processed meats, added sugars, and fats over the baseline in all age groups" (Kupillas and Nies 43). This means that even with the food stamps given to the participants with low-income by the government, Americans living in poverty are still buying less healthy food compared to the expensive food that is good for them. The authors continue to say, "When a poor individual is faced with a choice…, it is logical to purchase the less expensive and often less healthy option" (43). Even with the extra money in food stamps that poverty-stricken consumers are presented with, they will still buy the unhealthy food rather than spend more money on food that is beneficial to them. While some users of food stamps may be able to buy enough food to live, although it is unhealthy, others participating in the FSP complain that the food stamps they are provided with are not enough. Dammann and Smith's research explains, "Most participants were on food stamps and felt their current benefits were not sufficient to make it through the month without spending cash or using other food assistance programs to feed their families" (243). Instead of using what money they have on a place to live or other necessities, many people are left with using their limited money on extra food that food stamps are unable to cover. Dammann and Smith also noted in their study, "Several participants reported that their food stamps helped them purchase enough food to last 2 to 3 weeks out of the month, whereas a few said they last only a day" (243). Many families may need extra food stamps because there are more mouths to feed compared to other families that are able to live off of the food stamps they are given. The impoverished cannot be expected to live healthy lives when the government they rely on is unable to provide them with enough food stamps to support such a large family.

While many would express that the United States is a thriving country, why is there such a large population of poor citizens, and not just poor, overweight as well? "The political will is to eliminate welfare, not to eliminate poverty", says the director of a crisis center quoted by Nobel, "They want to cover up the problem, not to solve it" (254). Instead of making an effort to end the cause of the epidemic that is obesity and poverty, the problem has been swept under the rug. It must be understood that it is not the wealthy that are suffering from excess weight anymore. Now, the wealthy have the ability to buy such expensive food because they can afford it. It is the ones living in poverty that suffer from being overweight which makes it a much higher statistic than it ever has been before. With a lack of care and attention, the obese living in poverty will continue to purchase unhealthy food and will continue to gain weight. They will continue to stay less active and unable to maintain a healthy diet. While the problem is obvious, the solutions incorporated such as food stamps and federal grants have been a proven failure that do not stop the problem, but instead increase it. Nothing is being done to erase poverty in America which is the direct cause of its large obese population. The longer this problem exists, the longer obesity will plague America.

Works Cited

Dammann, Kristin Wiig, and Chery Smith. "Factors Affecting Low-income Women's Food Choices and the Perceived Impact of Dietary Intake and Socioeconomic Status on Their Health and Weight." Journal of Education and Behavior. 41.4 (2009): 242-253.

Hynes, Patricia and Russell Lopez. "Obesity, Physical Activity and the Urban Environment: Public Health Research Needs." Urban Health. Ontario: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2009. 169-84.

Kupillas, Lauren M. "Obesity and Poverty: Are Food Stamps to Blame?." Home Health Care Management & Practice. 20.1 (2007): 41-49.

Macintyre, Salley. "Deprivation Amplification Revisited." International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 4. (2007) 32-9.

Prose, Francine. "Wages of Sin." Acting out culture; Reading and Writing. Ed. James Miller. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2008. 197-201.

Schwartz-Nobel, Loretta. "America's Wandering Families." Acting out culture; Reading and Writing. Ed. James Miller. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2008. 249-61.

Swinburn, BA, I Catersn, JC Seidell, and WPT James. "Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Excess Weight Gain and Obesity." Public Health Nutrition. 7.1 (2004): 123-46.

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