Indianapolis ranks 7th on a national list of cities that buy the most junk food per capita. Forbes magazine based the ranking on a recent survey that used eight categories: cookies, ice cream, frankfurters, carbonated sugar drinks, candy, snacks (including chips and pretzels), pizza and bakery goods, (including donuts and cake).
The article points to various states efforts to increase awareness around proper diet and exercise. Governor Daniels should be commended for his INShape Indianaprogram as it acknowledges the problem of our state’s waistline(though it doesn’t really address the problem and merely copes with symptoms). See, I can compliment him on at least one topic! The problem is touched upon in the Forbes article. Harry Balzer, vice president of market research firm The NPD Group, has studied our eating 30 years breaks down why, despite diets and state sponsored exercise programs we aren’t going to see significant reductions in weight and obesity,
“Instead of changing our eating habits, we just eat the better version of the thing you shouldn’t be eating, instead of not eating it at all…Until manufacturers find a way to keep healthy food, like fruit, fresh and easy to transport, convenience will always trump nutrition.”
