| The number of Appalachians living in poverty last year increased, but that was before really high gasoline prices set in and food prices rose 25-50%.
Government statistics do not reflect the actual increases in food and hardware items being experienced by shoppers.
U.S. Census Bureau figures just released show that 13.3 million people lived in poverty in 2007 in the 13 states that make up Appalachia.
West Virginia's poverty rates are among the worst in the nation, including poverty affecting children.
Census figures also show that about 18.3 million Appalachians lacked health insurance between 2005 and 2007.
Nationally about 50 million people have no health insurance, with millions more under-insured.
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