A wise person once said, people with adequate food usually have lots of problems. Those who do not have enough to eat have but one problem.
Hunger in America spiked last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It didn't get any better in Oklahoma either. We ranked as the sixth hungriest state.
The number of Americans without dependable access to adequate food spiked to 49 million, including 17 million children. In 2007, that amounted to about 11 percent of the population. In 2008, the number increased to 15 percent.
While needs are up, the number of food donors is down. The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma reports donations are down about 17 percent while the numbers seeking help are up 19 percent. The food bank is feeding about 63,000 people each week through pantries, soup kitchens and emergency food centers.
The food ranking comes at a time when states also were ranked as to their healthiness. Oklahoma didn't fare much better in that one. We were ranked 49th, above only Mississippi by the United Health Foundation. Obesity, smoking and lack of exercise get most of the blame.
It's the lowest ranking ever for the state and quite the fall from our 33rd ranking in 1990. We were singled out as the state with the highest obesity rate in the nation. The Tulsa World reports by 2018, 56 percent of Oklahomans are projected to be overweight.
Opinion
Being hungry and unhealthy puts Oklahoma on top of lists
- Opinion
-
-
Outhouse enthusiast’s hobby more than a relief
Editor’s note: This previously-published column has been a reader favorite and is one of the most requested columns....
-
Homosexuals must convince themselves, God
Editor, The Transcript: I am not one of those in favor of same-sex anything. According to the Bible, homesexuality is a sin. Now maybe there is a new Bible out there — the homosexual Bible. I will check at Barnes & Noble....
-
Occupy movement built on principle
Editor, The Transcript: We the People Stand Tall! Bruce Kessler ends his letter to the editor “We the people must stand up — 8 May, 2012,” with a strong message: We the people — the very words that begin our Constitution — must work ...
-
Parents proud of two schools’ rankings
Editor, The Transcript: Norman parents are justifiably proud that U.S. News and World Report recently ranked Norman High School as No. 6 in our state and No. 862 in the nation and Norman North as No. 9 in the state and 1,096 in the nation ...
-
Reducing state rates would be of minor help
Editor, The Transcript: A Transcript editorial (May 22), in discussing the proposed reduction in income tax rates in HB 3061, states that the “trigger” mechanism is a good thing, citing the rate cut from 5.5 to 5.25 because of the 4 ...
-
Sykes trying to secure seat
Editor, The Transcript: By the time this reaches you, the issues surrounding HB 2440 may have been laid to rest. Based on your article of this date, let me make these observations....
-
Fallin proposes a flawed tax-cut plan
There was some relief in the tax-cut proposal negotiated with Gov. Mary Fallin and Republican legislative leaders, but it still calls for some difficult reductions to some necessary services....
-
Corporate deception rules
Editor, The Transcript: Jamie Dimon, JP Morgan Chase’s chief executive, said he does not know how the bank lost $3 billion (originally estimated at $2 billion) in a trading scheme. He called the trades “sloppy” and “stupid” but could not ...
-
What features create a cultural center?
The question has been raised whether an aquatic center somehow constitutes a cultural center. Although the more thorough response would be to ask, in turn, what features create a cultural center, this short treatise will simply focus on ...
-
Keep the capitol gun-free
Attorneys working for the state AG’s office are now able to carry handguns in their duties representing state agencies. They won’t need a concealed weapon permit. It’s the same as laws allowing U.S. attorneys, district attorneys and their ...
- More Opinion Headlines
-
Outhouse enthusiast’s hobby more than a relief
