Recently, I watched several CNN & FOX NEws stories, braodcasted from New York City making weak arguments, that recent alrming rises in American childhood and adult obsesity is owing largely to poverty; this is cleary not the case.

 Poor people can be (fat, slim and healthy or unhealthy), as can rich.

 The health problems assocaited with recent rises in American obsesity are entirely due to: 1) Our own eating and  shopping choices using the money we posses, 2) Our own laziness and failure to excersize as an American population  as a whole, and, 3) Our own lack of self dicsipline and our self centerdness and over indulgence.

 I am a woman age 45. As seen in the photo, although I have less than $25- a week for food, I am in great health, possessing a beautiful shape. This was confirmed with my recent doctor examinations the past couple of months, along with a full blood analysis. Thanks be to God (+) for this.

 My own good health and weight have nothing at all to do with the amount of money I spend on food.

 Half the world lives on rice & beans, peanut butter and jelly and pasta. Thesae foods are inexpensive while comprising an extremely healthy diet filled with necessary complex carbohydrates and a person's neccessary daily allowance of protein (without the unecessary fats, cholestoral and hydrogenated oils) that cause heart disease and  other serious illness. These foods are also extremely inexpensive and supplemented with orange juice, some canned   spinich or other vegitables along with a daily multi vitamin with milk, comprise a perfectly healthy American adult  or child's diet each week without spending more than $25-. It is not necessary to be "rich" to eat healthy and be  slim.

 On the other hand, I could use this same $25-, and instead of eating healthy foods, buy for even less money, an  entire meal of a Big MAC (cheeseburger, french fries and coke (soda) at either Burger King or Mc Donald's. Although this meal would cost me less in monetary terms, the cost in terms my own health are incalcuable. Burger King and Mc  Donald's food is cheap, but deadly. And, it alone is the primary cause of the recent rise in adult and childhood  obesity in America.

There is no need to eat, meat and processed foods at all. In addition, Americans are too stationary; they do not  discipline themselves into any excersize routine daily. This ads to the national obesity health problem.As for myself, I walk every morning at 6am several a few miles and do several other excerszies. AS you see it is my  own self discipline routine and individual choices giving me my good shape and health, and, not the rich or poverty  of my pocketbook.

 Americans have become entirely self centered, they feel they need "meat" to have energy and health. This is not  true, especially if that meat is comprised of 90% fats and cholestoral from Burger King and/or Mc Donald's.

 Rich people in America also have it entirely within the control of their own eating and excersize habits, whether  or not they are obese or slim and healthy. The issue at hand has entirely nothing to do with disctinctions between  rich and poor. Only what and how we treat our bodies.

 Slim down America! It is all up to you !

 Jill Starr (Blomingdale NJ USA)