If one kid in a classroom of 100 flunks a test, we all know where the blame belongs.
Sure, he didn’t study. He got distracted. Maybe he had a rough morning without breakfast.
One student failing is an individual issue.
But if 70 kids fail the test, suddenly the story changes, doesn’t it?
At that point, it’s not the students.
It’s the teacher. It’s the lesson plan. It’s the way the entire class is being set up.
A single failure is a personal problem; mass failure is a systemic problem.
And that brings us to obesity.
A Harsh Reality: America Is Failing the Test
Indiana’s adult obesity rate sits around 37–40%, depending on the data set.
Greene County is even higher — roughly 40.4% by recent estimates.
Let’s cut the polite language:
When almost half of Hoosiers are obese, and nearly 70% are at least overweight, this isn’t bad luck or bad willpower.
This is systemic failure, no different than a classroom where most of the students bomb the exam.
But… who’s the teacher in this mess?
Not the people struggling. Not the individuals trying to lose weight while juggling jobs, stress, bills, and the daily grind.
The “teacher,” in this case, is a collection of powerful forces that determine what we eat, how we live, and what choices even exist. Let’s try a few on for fit, okay?
1. The Food Industry
Foods designed for addiction and overconsumption. Salt, sugar, fat — engineered to keep you eating. Dopamine buttons built into every bite. This isn’t accidental; it’s intentional. It’s great for the bottom-line profits.
2. Government Subsidies and Policy
Corn, soy, wheat — all subsidized. Fresh produce? Not so much.
The system literally makes junk food cheaper than healthy options. Yeah, that one hurts.
3. American Work Culture
Long hours, short breaks, chronic stress, and no time to cook properly before, in-between, or after.
Fast-food becomes survival food.
4. Healthcare That Treats Symptoms, Not Causes
Pills for the blood pressure. Pills for the diabetes. But very little focus on true prevention or nutrition.
It’s good to have repeat customers, too, no?
5. Urban Planning That Encourages Sedentary Living
No long stretches of sidewalks. No walkable neighborhoods. No recreation infrastructure. Oh, that guys walking? He must not have much. Poor guy!
A ready-built environment that quietly says, “Drive everywhere, move less.”
6. Marketing and Messaging
Billions spent convincing us that eating junk is normal, fun, American, and “value.” Do you know how much McDonalds or Pepsi spends in advertising per day? Look it up online! I won’t deny you that eye-opening moment.
Add all of this up, and the test is rigged long before anyone sits down to take it or even sharpen a pencil.
Hoosier Reality
Here in small-town Indiana — Linton, Bloomfield, Dugger, Worthington, Jasonville — the struggle is magnified.
Healthy food is harder to find. Walking anywhere is nearly impossible. Stress runs high, wages run low, and time runs thin.
We’re not dealing with individuals “failing the test.” We’re dealing with a classroom where the curriculum is broken.
Why This Matters
Obesity is tied to:
- high blood pressure
- heart disease diabetes
- joint deterioration
- early mortality
- do I need to go on?
And it affects working families the most: the coal miner’s grandson, the CNA at the nursing home, the single mom doing hair out of her kitchen, the small-business owner running two jobs to keep the lights on and the kids in dance lessons.
This isn’t laziness; it’s survival under pressure.
The Quiet, Obvious Truth
If up to 70% of Americans are struggling with weight, then the problem isn’t 70% of Americans.
The problem is the teachers:
The systems.
The incentives.
The environment.
And unlike a classroom, we can’t transfer schools. We have to fix this one from the inside.
A Closing Thought
Every Hoosier deserves a fighting chance at health, not a rigged test. Recognizing who the real “teacher” is — and how the lesson is stacked — is the first step toward changing things. Because when a community understands the game, it can finally stop blaming itself for losing.