Bloomberg Says Let Them Eat Fruit: Speaking at a press conference announcing the plan, Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden pointed out that “we are in the midst of an obesity epidemic. In some neighborhoods, rates of obesity and diabetes are 50 percent higher than the citywide average.” But the Neighborhood Retail Alliance opposes the plan, fearing a loss of business to the carts. Richard Lipsky, a lobbyist for the bodegas, told the Daily News the “real problem is the lack of demand. If the demand was high, the stores would be well-stocked.”[This comment, while rational on its face, fails utterly in the specifics. Salad and fruit are an important part of a healthy diet. But they’re not particularly calorie dense. When your hungry and you don’t have a lot of money, calorie density calls out to you… you look for carbs and sugars. Since we make chips and snack foods mostly from corn and corn divisions, they are inexpensive from a quantity standpoint, and high in sugars and carbs… exactly the sort of food that overweight and diabetic prone folks ought not to be eating. Additionally, vegetables and fruit need to be eaten fresh, and therefore purchased more often, so a busy person will buy some but less, since you can’t store it as long as a packaged food. All in all, it is a vicious circle that is hard to break. I’m not sure that this is an answer, but it certainly can’t hurt.]
Source: Gothamist