Healthy Eating is not as easy as it seems

Written by Ayisha Jones, NASW intern.   She is a studying to receive her MSW this year.

Do you have access to fresh fruit and veggies? Are you within walking distance of a grocery store or does your local transit provide easy access to organic food and super markets? If you answered yes to these questions, chances are you are not living in poverty. Recently I have been overcome by the reality of nutritional neglect within low-income, urban communities. The effects of poor nutrition on pre-natal early childhood development as well as academic achievement are documented. Poor nutrition is also directly associated with cognitive delays, poor school performance, behavioral challenges with children. However, the connection between inadequate nutrition and lack of access to healthy food choices is often overlooked. Many urban communities are flooded with liquor stores, convenience stores, and fast food restaurants, and many residents who receive food stamps are often unaware that food stamps can be used at organic food markets and farmers markets.

I recently signed on to support and participate in a community organization project in West Baltimore. I was surprised to find that one of the local concerns was transportation and access to proper nutrition in the poor communities. I drove about 5 miles down a major street in the middle of the community and saw one grocery store that was filled with processed food ads in the window. However, in that same proximity I saw several gas stations, liquor stores, fast food chains, and fried chicken and Chinese food restaurants.

According to Bon Secours hospital in Baltimore, MD the extended stays required for many patients stemmed from malnutrition. The consumption of processed food often leads to hypertension, malnutrition, high cholesterol, diabetes, and adult and childhood obesity. Preventative health care relies heavily on proper nutrition and cannot be successful without it. Medication and weekly doctors’ visits will not help a chronic condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol unless accompanied by proper nutrition and exercise. Nutrition is such a major part of life preservation that some of the issues affecting children and families living in poverty can no longer be ignored. What action can we take as social workers to remedy this problem?

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