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Case Study: Fixing The American Diet

1002 Words5 Pages

Fixing the American Diet Americans’ nutrition has been declining for years, but is this simply because of unhealthy choices? While that may be the case for some Americans, for those of a lower socio-economic level, unhealthy habits are less of a choice. People living in poorer neighborhoods are more vulnerable to obesity. That being said, just because someone is of low income, does not mean that they will be more overweight than the average American, or that low income and obesity or causally linked, but studies have shown a correlation between the two. This could be explained by lack of access to healthy food, not being able to afford fresh, non-fast food, overeating when food is readily available, and the stress of poverty. Many impoverished …show more content…

This would help because even if someone’s only option for food is fast food, at least it would be healthier and contribute less to obesity. Another option would be to lower the cost of food at grocery stores so people with low incomes could more easily afford to shop there, but that is a less feasible option. Grocery stores could provide discounts on produce for people of low income though. There are also cycles of food deprivation and overeating that can contribute to weight gain. If people skip meals to save money, when food becomes readily available to them, they may overeat, which is a problem, especially if this food is fast food. During the food deprivation period of these cycles, the lack of eating can cause eating disorders and changes in one’s metabolism so that their bodies store more fat, which can then lead to weight gain and …show more content…

More food banks and places where people of low income can get food for free would make people less likely to have periods of under eating in trying to save money. Without the food deprivation, there is less of a chance that someone might overeat when given the opportunity. By preventing these eating ups and downs, people of low income would overeat less, and have a lower chance of developing an eating disorder. Being stressed or anxious because of money problems or being overworked, as many low income families are, can make these situations worse and lead to more food insecurity. Research has found a link in obesity and stress and poor mental health, and for people with a shortage of money, there are many reasons to be stressed, such as payments, having enough money for food, poor housing, lack of healthcare, lack of transportation, and possibly working more than one job. This stress can lead to metabolic changes as well, causing weight

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People in America are encouraged to become healthier by exercising, following a balanced diet, and assuming healthy habits. Unfortunately, most Americans cannot live a healthy lifestyle because their socioeconomic status limits their choices. The United States economic system functions as a hierarchy, where 1% of the population are more affluent than the rest (CNN). The economic gap makes it harder for the rest of the population to afford healthy behaviors. 15.1 percent of Americans fall below the poverty level, due to the economic disparity in America (State).

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When you hear obesity, do you imagine malnutrition or simply an individual who “eats too much?” Well, these health threatening issues go hand and hand. Learning that a large number of obese individuals are low income, it can be concluded that a lack of funds results in cheaper, more fattening and unhealthy food purchases, which ultimately can develop into malnutrition and unsafe weight gain. The eye-opening film, A Place At The Table, provides viewers with a true representation of how the issues of hunger and malnutrition in the United States affect individuals on a daily basis. Throughout this movie, the filmmakers, Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush, examine the lives of three individuals who suffer from hunger and and lack of nutrition.

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In the United States there are many children and adults that go hungry, due to financial problems. With the economy and how high cost of living is, it’s hard to provide, food for the family. The results of hunger on children in America are not having the right nutrition, can have serious implication for a child’s physical and mental health. Also food insecurity is harmful to all people, but it is particularly devastating to children.

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The overconsumption of foods with high levels of sugar, oils, fats and calories has contributed to the rise of obesity in America, and food deserts are to blame as a contributing factor to the epidemic. A UCLA study found that “people who live near an abundance of fast-food restaurants and convenience stores compared to grocery stores and produce vendors have a significantly higher prevalence of obesity and diabetes” (Designed for disease, 2008). In 2013, it was reported that 67% of the US population is overweight or obese (Budzynska et-al, 2012). Overweight and obesity are major public health problems because having a high percentage of body fat will raise an individual’s risk of diabetes, stroke, arthritis, heart disease and some cancers (Let’s Move). In California, adults living in food deserts had a 20 percent higher prevalence of obesity and a 23 percent higher prevalence of diabetes (Designed for Disease).

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When the dinner bell rings in America, many families are not flocking to the table, but running to the car and the call of the “Golden Arches”. In today’s over-scheduled world, food has now become an afterthought and America is paying the price, literally. Obesity is now an epidemic and a crisis that is not slowing down. The nation is not only paying the price with sky-rocketing medical bills from the effects of the American diet, but also with the deteriorating health of its citizens and for the first time in history, a generation with a shorter life expectancy than the generation before. Food today looks nothing like the food of just 40 years ago, and now instead, is making people sick and obese.

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The fact that Americans, home of some of the most obese humans in the world, are going hungry is indiscernible. Today I stand before you to explain why we, as fellow Americans, need to extend help in the growing effort to fight the war against hunger in America. Before learning what you can do to help, we must first understand the extent of hunger in America. Then we will discover the cause of hunger in the United States. Finally I will present several ways you can contribute to the fight.

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As a hole there should be more restaurants that promote healthy food choices. Obesity in the United States is out of proportion and something need to be don , not necessarily at the point of government intersection but this needs to be fix some way somehow. ”public health experts say that an unhealthy diet and the lack of exercise are still the two biggest culprits. ”-Felix gusson.

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