Happy, Healthy & Strong in Low Income Communities

I want to discuss one of the more serious issues in America today, and that is how our low-income families are eating. It’s not a secret that America’s health care system is flawed. Obesity rates are increasing and there is very little government support to help stop this crisis. Chronic illnesses will impact seven out of every ten Americans. Many chronic diseases are preventable such as; obesity, cancer, and heart disease. Compared to Britain, Americans are three times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes during their lifetime. There are multiple solutions to the ongoing eating behaviors of low income families in the states. There are three important solutions that I’m going to discuss and they are: Accessibility, health education, and product formulation. It’s going to take a great amount of energy to change this health scheme; but imagine how much improvement our country could experience if people actually had access to healthful foods.

Worldhunger.org states that, “In 2013, there were 45.3 million people in poverty. This is up from 37.3 million in 2007. The number of poor people is near the largest number in the 52 years for which poverty statistics have been published.”(1) There are three fundamental solutions that I’d like to examine that can better the eating habits of low income families. For some of these poverty-stricken families it isn’t necessarily an option for them to eat healthy, because generally the hearty options are pricier and many families don’t have access to fresh foods. Clearly the two biggest obstacles that prevent low income families from eating well are both accessibility and cost. According to a government program called Let’s Move, “Limited access to healthy food choices can lead to poor diets and higher levels of obesity and other diet-related diseases.”(2) It is crucial to these low income families to at least have access to healthier foods. If we can make healthy options more accessible or teach people who are struggling financially how to make their own food, this destructive cycle could end.

Community gardens can be very beneficial to a low income community if everyone pitches in to make an effort.Community Gardens have many benefits such as providing fresh and accessible foods, establishing a sense of community, and can help people save money. If you’d like to start your own garden then check out this link with tips on how to create a thriving garden.

I would argue that health education is another significant way to solve this ongoing problem. Often enough these low income families are forced to live in certain areas that don’t always have the best schools. Teachers don’t get paid enough and our system promotes inequality among certain communities. My point is that if students, at an early age, were informed about how to eat well and how to cook those foods, then they might be less likely to put crap into their bodies. Not only should it be discussed in school but also, it should be encouraged by parents to eat healthy at home. The government also plays a role in what our kids are eating at lunch, so I recommend that we know what options are given out to students at school. Get involved with helping your local community and school district to promote these good habits starting at a young age. Go to meetup.com (a federal government program called Let’s Move) to find other local parents and citizens in your area that are concerned with how we’re teaching our kids to eat.

My last solution is based around the idea of product formulation. Consumer demand plays a large role in determining what people see on the shelves in their supermarkets. The food industry likes to take advantage of the human craving for fatty, sugary foods. Generally bad eating behaviors start to form at a young age and in order to change the way our kids are eating, there has to be some sort of industry-wide change. The food industry should develop new foods that are proven to be healthy with labels that contain less sugar, salt, and fat. Also labels should be easy to read so that people can know exactly what is going into their bodies.

Products like mini carrots and apple slices are appealing to children so coming up with fun snack designs that can be healthy will be effective. One of the main problems that food companies deal with is introducing consumers to new, healthier products. According to General Mills chief and wellness officer Maha Tahiri, “Consumers say they want healthier products, but they don’t want to compromise on taste.” (3) This is going to be a challenge for some companies because it might not taste as good but that’s because it isn’t full of processed ingredients. Click here for ways to eat smart and make tasty meals.

We must take action in our our communities to stop this downward spiral of poor eating behaviors in America. We need to at least give the low income families a chance to eat healthier and make good options available at a reasonable price. Accessibility, education, and better formulation of food products are all solutions that can help stop the continuance of food insecurities in America. It only takes a couple people to start the change in a needy neighborhood. If you are wondering how to get involved in your area, click here for tips on how to go about it.

Sources:

1)http://www.worldhunger.org/articles/Learn/us_hunger_facts.htm

2)http://www.letsmove.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files/TFCO_Access_to_Healthy_Affordable_Food.pdf

3)http://consumerist.com/2014/06/24/food-companies-not-bragging-about-making-products-healthier-out-of-fear-youll-reject-change/