Good observations Whoo. However I am not sure that he was implying that the poor were well fed, or at least I didn't get that impression. But he did seem to be implying that they could feed themselves well, and that it's only a matter of choice. I am not entirely sure of that statement. It's difficult to judge when you have never been in that situation. It's probably difficult to find good quality protein and veggies when you are poor. However I think he is right. Processed food are expensive. Eating at Mcdonald while relatively cheap is still more expensive than eating at home. Someone creative and motivated could probably stretch a small grocery budget enough to get decent food. Obviously they will not be dinning on T-Bone steaks and braised endives. However you can always find cuts of meat on sale, discounted cans of tuna, bags of frozen vegetables, farmer's markets, ect ect.

I absolutely believe the poor are fat because they eat badly. Your analysis Whoo was dead on. I also believe that they could choose to eat better. I think however it's not so much choice that's the issue as knowledge. Like I said, you need to be motivated and creative to eat well on a small budget. It's easier to just walk into your local food mart and fill your basket with colorful boxes of crap.

This is a product of clever marketing and lack of knowledge. All those boxes are there with tempting images of food, just at eye level. You know that you only need to grab a box, open it, toss a couple of ingredients in and you got supper on the table. A can of tuna, on the other hand, is not so attractive. For the unimaginative cook, it doesn't hold the promise for a quick and tasty meal, not like a box of hamburger's helper or mac 'n cheese. So I think that's a big part of the problem. People are not taught how to prepare quick and tasty meals. You learn your abc's at school, but that aspect of your education is neglected. Unfortunately, to our detriment, the big food manufacturer's seem to have stepped in to fill that gap.