Culture, history blamed for ‘fattest city’ status
An AP analysis of CDC data has found that Huntington, W.Va., to be the fattest city in the United States: “Nearly half the adults in Huntington’s five-county metropolitan area are obese — an astounding percentage, far bigger than the national average in a country with a well-known weight problem.”
Health officials cite culture and history as two problems contributing to the area’s obesity.
“Covering Obesity: A Guide for Reporters” offers additional background for reporting on societal factors and their influence on obesity rates. From the guide (page 29):
Through generations of living with food scarcity in harsh environments, the Pimas developed a genetic trait that allowed their bodies to efficiently store extra calories for periods of famine, the researchers believe. This genetic adaptation is known as the ‘thrifty gene theory.’
A virtue amid scarcity, the theory goes, the thrifty gene can become a liability when food is abundant. Calories are still stored as though a shortage is looming, and the pounds accumulate.
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One Comment on Culture, history blamed for ‘fattest city’ status
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Pia on
Tue, 18th Nov 2008 2:48 pm
In a related article about societal factors that contribute to obesity and poor nutrition, The Oregonian has an article about “food deserts” - neighborhoods where good food is hard to come by.
From the article:
“When getting to market takes this much effort, epidemiologists consider it a threat to our collective health. Where we live determines where we buy food, which influences what we eat, factors into whether we’re fat and can seal whether, someday, we get diabetes or have a heart attack.”
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