It doesn’t take much more than a glance at the official Oklahoma State Meal — or the crowd scooting around the State Fair on a Friday night — to realize that Oklahomans don’t follow the healthiest diets or lifestyles.
It’s something we’re all painfully aware of, right?
I mean, there’s a reason OKC was once labeled the fast-food capital of the world, why our most popular food export is a greasy, appropriated burger, and why we have a state agency wasting tax dollars on ads encouraging people to drink water.
Despite Oklahomans of all ages, weights, and chronic medical conditions knowing we’re unhealthy, The “New and Improved!” Oklahoman decided to highlight the issue last week for its few remaining readers who are unaware:
Nutritional void: Why Oklahoma ranks at the bottom in eating healthy and what's being done
Oklahoma has a rich agricultural history. More than 2,500 farms across the state produce fruits, vegetables and other food crops.
Yet Oklahomans consume less fruits and vegetables than nearly every other state in the country, according to the United Health Foundation.
The state's poor eating habits are major contributor to its consistent ranking as one of the least healthy states in the country.
Yep, that’s right. Throw some extra cheese on the Indian taco, extra-fry the chicken-fried steak, and don’t forget the complimentary sopapilla! Oklahoma is officially a Top 10 State in Not Eating Fruits and Vegetables!
I guess Stitt’s aspirational goal to make us Top 10 in something we can be proud of is finally complete! Who’s ready to throw another Meat Week to celebrate!
Instead of celebrating our dubious, unhealthy distinction as a badge of honor, The Oklahoman decided to shame its readers like a fat man making his third trip through the CiCi’s pizza buffet.
Apparently unaware that most Oklahomans are, like me, dumb lazy apes who don’t have the strength or willpower to resist the smorgasbord of cheap and processed food temptations the ultra-capitalistic food industry puts before us, the paper investigated the issue and placed the primary blame on poor education and food awareness.
Here’s what my half-sister Erica Rankin-Riley had to say:
Erica Rankin-Riley, public information officer for the state Health Department, said the work done by the agency goes hand in hand with the efforts of organizations like ONIE and Hunger Free Oklahoma, who are also helping to expand access by "increasing the purchasing power of SNAP dollars."
Rankin-Riley said the state is working to encourage healthy eating and improve access for residents regardless of socio-economic background.
"OSDH actively works with the state's two Feeding America-associated food banks (Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma) on establishing Healthy Eating Research nutrition guidelines and the Supporting Wellness at Pantries (SWAP) Stoplight system at food banks and partner pantries," Rankin-Riley said. "This encourages choosing healthy options when procuring food items."
Nutrition education is a key component of bridging gaps for all Oklahomans, and it starts at an early age, Rankin-Riley said.
The state Health Department is working with early childhood education centers and schools to teach healthy habits and behaviors to both parents and children from birth.
Listen. I appreciate our state government giving healthy-eating initiatives the old college try, but doesn’t all that feel like a big waste of time and money?
Let’s be real: programs like these are up against a tidal wave of cheap, tasty, and endlessly promoted processed foods that dominate the market.
The problem isn’t just that Oklahomans don’t know fruits and vegetables are good for them — it’s that we’re bombarded with alternatives that are easier, cheaper, and biologically engineered to taste better. You can lead an Oklahoman to the salad bar, but you can’t make them eat it when there’s a fried chicken club sandwich with extra mayo and fries sitting right next door.
If the state really wants to fix this problem, it’s going to take more than teaching people to eat better. It’s going to take addressing the systemic forces driving our reliance on cheap, processed foods.
Until that happens, I’ll see you at CiCi’s, making another trip through the line. Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
