Factor linked to Childhood Obesity: "Food Deserts"?

In class today, one of the issues we discussed were factors that contributed to childhood obesity and how these factors may potentially be eliminated or changed into healthier outlets. I read an interesting NYTimes article related to this that presented studies that attempted to find a correlation between "Food Deserts" and obesity. ( http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/18/health/research/pairing-of-food-deserts-and-obesity-challenged-in-studies.html?_r=1# ) Food deserts are low income neighborhoods with abundant fast food chains and less places where you can find fresh produce. In general, it's harder to access healthy food stores in these areas. Michelle Obama stated that not only are families going to eat at places like McDonald's because it's cheaper- healthier stores are farther away. You would have to take the bus or car to get to the closest Pathmark. One of the studies presented in this article supported Obama's claim: Helen Lee of the Public Policy Institute of California obtained the federal census of 8,000 kids- specifically their weight and where they lived. Then she took a separate census of the nearby fast food chains of one of each of the kids' neighborhoods and found that poorer neighborhoods had twice as many fast food places and convenience stores as opposed to wealthier neighborhoods.

However, Lee's study also showed that these low income neighborhoods had twice as many supermarkets with plenty of healthy food as well. Another similar study presented in the article showed a nationwide census (that was done twice) that saw very little or no connection between food deserts and obese children.

Personally, I think it's great that Mrs.Obama is advocating for more supermarkets and playgrounds at schools, but I don't think that having easier access to healthy foods would help much. You still have the economic problem- healthier foods are more expensive and eating junk is better than starving. Like we said today, sometimes it's all a person needs to survive. 

The government has been trying to fight it with programs like "Let's Move" and the advocating of exercise in media (Wii Fit Clubs), but the reality is that obesity rates have not changed much over the past decade.

Change really does start with the individual.