This
Washington Post article is just one example I happened to read in the last 5 minutes, but really it's a larger bee in my bonnet.
The premise of the article is: gosh, it's a real headscratcher why poor people buy junk food and rich people eat fruits and veggies--given that, as the data shows, income and access ("food deserts") don't account for all, or even the majority of, the difference. They start to dip their toe into the murky waters of culture and social conditioning, but still, their conclusions are stupid:
Quote:
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“If you grew up in a community where you never saw an apple, but saw lots of fast food,” she added, “it could take a lifetime to shift those preferences.”
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Nope, nope, nope. ITMTS: It's the Marshmallow Test, Stupid. If you are a person with the ability to delay gratification, you will see the long-term benefit of healthy food and choose it. You will also be more successful along every single metric in your life, including career/income. If you are a person who can't delay your own gratification, you will eat the potato chips and Hot Pockets and ice cream for dinner. Also, you will stall in the workforce and be trapped in crappy jobs.
The answer is not to teach them how to cook healthy meals, or to put a Whole Foods on every corner, or to give them free vegetables. It's far more fundamental than that.