Battling Obesity as the Water Rises

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Each year, about 16 square miles vanish from the Louisiana coast. In 1916, water made up 10 percent the area surrounding Terrebone Bay. By 2016, 90 percent of the area was water.

For members of the Grand Caillou/Dulac Band of the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw tribe, the effects of climate change have a direct health coast.

Chief Shirell Parfait-Dardar grew up witnessing coastal land loss transform her community. Unable to grow their own food on their land anymore, members of her tribe have turned to whatever is affordable in the grocery store — often genetically-modified and boxed foods.

Now, Chief Parfait-Dardar is watching rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease soar in her community, and she's partnering with other tribes to fight back. Barry Yeoman wrote about the changes on Louisana's coast for the Food & Environment Reporting Network. Chief Parfait-Dardar and Yeoman weigh in today on The Takeaway.