Analysis of My Neighborhood - Essay Example

Week 5 What have you learned about your neighborhood? How do price and availability affect your food choices? Are there accessible parks or public places in your community where people can enjoy physical activity? What considerations should be taken into account to determine your diet and exercise habits? Check graph on article (http://thefoodtrust.org/uploads/media_items/grocerygap.original.pdf) pg. 15. The economic size of specific neighborhood determines access to quality food .In this scenario, Baltimore neighborhood is chosen to give the existing relationship between various variables surrounding healthy diet versus level of income. It can be learnt that the racial composition of Baltimore neighborhood is dominated by the African American, followed by the Latino and the remaining portion occupied by few whites. Evident socio-economic disparity which places significant Black population at the low income end is reflected in spending pattern. It can also be noted that the number of supermarkets and food chain stores are relatively few (Leslie 14). This is another indicator of limited access to high quality food. It is worth to note that price and demand are inversely related and this is reflected in the food spending pattern in Baltimore. The few food chain stores can be seen as directly proportion to the few high income white races. The graph indicates that the bulk of the population is low income earners. The consequences are less incentive of quality food selling stores top set up branches in such places. This translates to access to cheaper food which has relatively lower nutritional value. In the case of Baltimore with a low income majority, prices have to be down with grocery ranging $1.99 - $3. This means that when food prices are high, the income level of people determines choice of quality. Junk food remains accessible but has significantly higher fat content which poses health risks to the population. It is important to note that availability of accessible pack and other open public places are instrumental in determining the need to undertake physical exercise. However, there tend to be a relationship between existence of such social amenities and the income of the surrounding. Baltimore is a case of limited public places where people can exercise their physical bodies. The result is poor physical health prospects and potential exposure to obesity. The prevailing average income of the majority is a central factor in setting diet standards. In essence, low income means elasticity to food prices and hence access to low quality cheaper food (Leslie 23). The problem with this is high risk exposure in regard to physical health conditions like obesity. In that regard, there is need to boost physical exercise by public-private partnership in setting aside more public facilities for physical exercise. 2. How does access to healthy and affordable food (i.e., supermarkets) affect people? Who are most likely to be affected and why? What can healthy/unhealthy eating be linked to? What policies and practices can be made, have been made, and/or need to be made to ensure everyone has access to healthy foods? In the context of economic goals of the supermarkets’ goals, profit maximization tops the list. This is achievable through provision of high quality fresh foods. Comparative food prices show a significant disparity between fresh food and processed ones. The main social welfare of any government is to improve the healthcare quality. Medical research indicates that the type of food consumed influences the outcome of personal health. It is therefore common knowledge that access to healthy food promotes good health. Besides, affordability is another factor that needs to be taken into consideration. Offering affordable prices will make many people access quality diet and enhance nutritional composition of their daily consumption. Equitable distribution of supermarkets stuffed with affordable healthy food will go a long way in eliminating the health risks like obesity and offset the cost of setting up several public places for physical exercise and Medicare. The most vulnerable group is the low income African American and other immigrant minority. They are less economically empowered and dominate the low income population. Most supermarkets with quality food supplies charge higher prices and therefore tend to be out of reach for the low income groups. This means the few groceries with affordable foods offer relatively lower quality processed GMO products. The associated problem with such cheaper foods is their low quality and less nutritious content. It is common to find the Black community residing in areas with limited supermarkets and healthy foods and reflects there significant exposure to poor health and extreme conditions like obesity among others. Such unhealthy foods translate to increase spending on medical care and aggregate reduced socio-economic productivity. There are policies that need to be put in place by the government to influence the food prices and promote equal access to fresh and healthy food. Despite the existing socio-economic gap across United States, it is important that minimum quality foods be sold by any food store. Increased health promotion is also critical in boosting the efforts of the low income residents to opt for fresh food. Provision of incentives like set up cost subsidies to the supermarkets by the government would promote access to healthy foods. Stringent rules that put groceries under checks through FDA would ensure limited access to genetically modified food products which tend to be cheaper but less nutritious. Public-private partnership is critical in mobilizing the low income communities to embrace healthy food rather than seeking cheaper but unhealthy produce. 3. Considering what you have learned in this assignment, summarize your overall reaction. Has it affected your nutrition and activity goals and/or your attitude towards healthy eating and physical activity? Why or why not? It is important to note that income level is a key factor in determining access to health food. However, the cheaper foods have counterproductive effects in the ensuing cost of seeking medical attention. It is also worth to note that unless government comes up with strategic measures on promoting equality towards the people’s welfare, the low income groups are at greater risk. Nutritional aspect of food goes a long way in enhancing the aggregate health of the people. Inadequate government support and overdependence on forces of demand supply works to the disadvantage of the low income groups. This is possible due to their limited financial muscle to afford otherwise expensive supermarket fresh groceries. The food stores across United States offer ample parking ground and diverse quality products which can be equated to the high income white majority. It is therefore difficult to come by expensive supermarkets in the poor neighborhoods like is the case with Baltimore. The racial breakdown is reflected in the available food stores that offer quality food stuffs. Nutritional awareness is an emerging health related topic and is closely associated with the increasing obesity incidences across United States. In order to improve the economic productivity of the people, there is need to prioritize diet as this influences the health status of the population. Physical exercise should be an integral part of health care practices. Besides maintaining physical fitness, rate of metabolism is significantly boosted by such undertakings. It is imperative that people embrace physical exercise as part of routine activities alongside healthy eating habits. The accruing benefits from physical health include qualitative improvement in population health that bears invaluable financial saving to the individual and the state at large. There is a convincing reason of making relentless efforts to access healthy food despite socio-economic background as the primary remedial measure against poor health. It my personal motivation that healthy diet is an asset in the long run as it is common knowledge that health is wealth. Work cited Leslie Yang. The Grocery Gap. Who has to access to Healthy food and why it matters .1992 (http://thefoodtrust.org/uploads/media_items/grocerygap.original.pdf) Read More