Pass the Peas

The country’s fattest congressional district sits within the South Bronx section of New York. Walk down the streets here and it’s hard not to notice: One in six young people is obese and two in three adults are overweight or obese. Most of the food sold is processed and much of it has spent some time in a deep-fryer. The city’s health commissioner, Dr. Thomas A. Farley, calls the area “ground zero” for the obesity epidemic. Yet despite the challenges, a handful of committed educators, farmers, bodega owners and, well, children, are attempting to reverse the morbid trend. With strategies ranging from gardening to subsidizing the sale of vegetables to simply educating consumers about the value of nutrition, these leaders are reshaping the debate on food deserts and influencing public policy at all levels. Journalist Hamida Kinge provides an insightful look at the people and organizations at the center of this burgeoning movement.