Returning thanks from Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for various areas of help, Bush praised the robust ties between the U.S. and its longtime ally, then cheerfully disclosed the reason for the slight bulge around his midsection.

“It goes beyond that,” Philippine Trade Secretary Peter Favila quoted Bush as describing the robust ties between Manila and Washington.

“Even the one who cooks for me in the White House is a Filipino and I’m very, very proud of this person,” Bush said.

“If you’ve noticed the paunch, it’s because the food is very, very good,” Bush was quoted as saying by Philippine presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye.

Food Insecurity in Poor, Female-Headed Families in Five
of Alabama’s Black Belt Counties
Andrew A. Zekeri, Tuskegee University

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The study found that about 36 percent of the single mothers were food insecure. That is, at some time between 2004 and 2005, these low-income single women had difficulty providing enough food for their children due to lack of resources. The prevalence of food insecurity in the study region was about three times the average for the Nation (11.9 percent) and for the State of Alabama (12.2 percent) between 2002 and 2004.

Consistent with some previous research, the study also found that the association between food insecurity and depression is statistically significant. Single mothers that are food insecure report significantly higher levels of depression. Food insecurity explains about 10 percent of the variation in depression. Health status follows a similar pattern. Food insecurity is statistically associated with self-reported health status in this sample. Single mothers who are food insecure are significantly more likely to report poor or fair health than those who are food secure.

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RIDGE Project Summaries, 2006