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4A – Daily News – Monday, May 31, 2010 Vitality & health FRESNO (MCT) — The smaller the paycheck, the bigger the belly, say many researchers who study poverty and obesity. It might seem like a paradox, but not having enough money for food doesn't mean the poor are skinny. The opposite appears to be true: The lower-income are more likely to be heavy than the well-to-do. "Obesity is an economic issue," said Cyndi Walter, manager for the California Department of Public Health obesity-prevention program, Project LEAN. Eating well is beyond the reach of many California residents, she said. Health experts say there is no shortage of reasons why poverty is a predictor for obesity _ even stress and hopelessness could be fac- tors. Overall, it comes down to food options: Poverty not only limits choices, but also can discourage healthy decisions that have little to do with money, they say. For starters, the low- income tend to live in neighborhoods that are flush with fast-food restau- rants and convenience stores that sell mostly junk foods, the experts say. Supermarkets are few — and the fresh fruits, vegeta- bles and lean meats they carry are more expensive than hamburgers, french fries and sodas. The low-income "are buying what's available to them and affordable to them," said Genoveva Islas- Hooker, regional program coordinator for the Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program. What’s on TV? ✓ Check out ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE select TV Free - Online - 24/7 Broadcast/Cable/Satellite Listings-Sports-Movies & More! redbluffdailynews.com gonna call? Who ya To participate in the various events and activities at the Here’s who to call about: Lawn Mower Races: Bob Carrel at 308-2102 Horseshoe Tournament: Steve Joiner at 528-0799 Tractor Pull Competition: Mark Eidman at 527-5920 x13 Strong Man Competition:Troy Lalaguna at 528-8656 Talent Contest: Sonja Akers at 736-1702 Teen Miss Competition: Sonja Akers at 736-1702 Vendors Welcome! Local food vendors: 20% on gross sales Commercial vendors: Donation requested For vendor information call Mark Eidman at 527-5920 x13 See you at the Fairgrounds on Independence Day Best Fireworks Display in the North State! Kids’ games – Carnival – Car Show … and much more! Sunday Buffet Special $ 9.99 Expires 5-30-10 COUPON Poorer are more obese, study finds MCT file photo People still are responsi- ble for making the healthi- est food choices possible, she said. But there, too, poverty's powers are hard to ignore. HABITS START YOUNG Food habits begin in childhood, Islas-Hooker said. "You grow up in a household where there is limited economic means and your caregiver is pur- chasing food on what they can afford," she said. "You become ingrained in that type of diet and that type of pattern." Carmen Solorvano, 30, of southeast Fresno, Calif., grew up in a big family. There wasn't a lot of money for fresh fruits and vegeta- bles and lean cuts of meat. Meals were mostly spaghet- ti, tacos, rice, beans, pota- toes — starchy foods. Solorvano cooks those same foods today. "I'm used to cooking and eating the way I was raised, when I was small," she said. She would like to fix healthier meals. She is 100 pounds overweight and her doctor has warned her she needs to lose weight. But money for healthy foods and time to prepare them are hard to come by. FATTY, SALTY AND SWEET Foods high in fat and carbohydrates and those full of sugar are cheap, energy- dense, nutrient poor — and filling, said Edie Jessup, a program development spe- cialist who works with Islas-Hooker at the obesity- prevention project. Giving children a pack- Health, Life, Auto, Home, Commercial, Professional Liability Free phone quotes 530-824-9900 Monday-Friday 9-5 1610 Solano St. #B Corning Lic.#0C37035 Get your age of Top Ramen is an inexpensive, quick meal, Jessup said. "And because it's more carbohydrates, it makes your child feel like they've had more," she said. Fats and sugars make foods taste good, too. "We really like fat, salty and sweet," Jessup said. Some even suspect the foods are addictive. A number of studies are looking at the physical response to such foods, according to the California Department of Public Health. The department says introducing fats and sugars to children early isn't recommended by pediatri- cians. They suggest giving infants pureed vegetables before pureed fruits so they can develop a taste for the vegetables and not reject them in favor of the sweeter fruit tastes, the department says. Researchers who study the relationship between income and poverty specu- late that some of the food choices made by the poor are not strictly cost-driven. THE FAST-FOOD SOLUTION By the same token, fast- food restaurants provide an outlet for low-income fami- lies: The food is cheap, it tastes good, and there is free entertainment for the chil- dren. "The kids love it," Leigh said. Only 300 will be sold …they’re starting to move! could win $10,000 $100 each You Proceeds will go to provide the Fireworks Extravaganza at the First Annual 4th of July Heritage Celebration at the District Fairgrounds in Red Bluff, brought to you by The Red Bluff- Tehama County Chamber of Commerce, Tehama District Fair and the Daily News! Buy your Golden Ticket(s) at: RB-TC Chamber of Commerce Red Bluff Yamaha – Antelope Blvd. Buds Jolly Kone – Antelope Blvd Nu-Way Market – Los Molinos Napa Auto Parts, Corning Tehama People with higher incomes can be selective about restaurants, he said. Solorvano, the southeast Fresno mother, considers it a treat to take her children — ages 14, 8 and 6 _ to McDonald's. The children look forward to it, she said. "They see other people and they go to McDonald's," she said. "They want to fit in." Waiting room game gets easier (MCT) For many peo- ple, the worst part of a visit to the doctor isn't the rubber glove. It's the time wasted in the waiting room. "I'm right near Fermi- lab," says Dr. Vishal Emergency Preparedness Fair For Persons with Developmental Disabilities, Care Providers, & Community Members Saturday, June 5th, 2010 Red Bluff Community Center 10am to 2pm. Low Cost Lunch available FREE Event BE PREPARED Call 528-2829 or 528-2130 x 0 China Buffet CHINESE RESTAURANT Open 7 Days A Week China Buffet Happy Hours Mon. & Tues. Lunch $ All Day $6.99 Wed - Thurs - Fri - Sat 6.99 Dinner $ 8.99 343 S. Main St. Red Bluff 530-529-5888 (No Checks) Mehta, an orthopedic sur- geon with Fox Valley Orthopaedic Institute, headquartered in Geneva. "I get these brilliant Fer- milab scientists who are sitting in my office an hour and a half reading, you know, Road & Track. It just seemed silly." Calling patients to tell them the doctor is running late is impractical — the staff just gets further backed up — so Mehta devised something better: a computer program that lets patients know the length of the wait. Patients can go to med- waittime.com and get an estimate of conditions at their doctor's office. Or they can sign-in and have alerts e-mailed or sent to their mobile device — similar to what airlines do. Patients are also told how late they can arrive. Ownership Under New Holiday Buffet Special $ Expires 5-30-10 COUPON 11.99 fitness 'Nutri-Cures' By SAM MCMANIS McClatchy Newspapers "Eat this — it's good for you." It's every moth- er's bromide. Mom may have been on to some- thing, if you ask author Alice Feinstein and the editors of Prevention magazine, which recently published "Nutri-Cures: Foods & Supplements That Work With Your Body to Relieve Symp- toms & Speed Healing" (Rodale Books, $23.99, 402 pages). Take our quiz on the book's claims. 1. Which vitamin is said to help relieve back and neck pain? a) Vitamin C b) Vitamin D c) Vitamin B-12 2. Why do fish oil and other omega-3 fatty acids help with the heartbreak of psoriasis? They ... a) reduce inflammation b) reduce hypertension c) increase blood vol- ume 3. Which category of food do the authors say you should "dump" to help eliminate acne? a) Grains b) Sweets c) Dairy 4. If you have gum dis- ease, which of the follow- ing is not a "problematic food" that triggers gum inflammation? a) Beef b) Eggs c) Mangoes 5. If you tend to overindulge in alcoholic beverages, which vitamin can kick-start your liver? a) Vitamin D b) Vitamin E c) B vitamins Source: "Nutri-Cures" by Alice Feinstein and the editors of Prevention magazine. Golden Ticket ANSWERS: 1: b; 2: a (psoriasis is an inflamma- tory disease); 3: c ("milk contains a rich array of hormone precursors"); 4: c; 5: c