In a study done by Maria Mcinerney, Ilona Csizmadi, Francisco Alaniz Uribe, Alberto Nettel-Aguirre, Lindsay McLaren, Melissa Potestio, Beverly Sandalack, and Gavin R. McCormack, and Christine M. Friedenreich (2016) entitled, “Associations between the neighborhood food environment, neighborhood socioeconomic status, and diet quality: An observational study”, the researchers examined if the neighborhood environment plays an important role in diet quality in a Canadian adult. The importance of this study was to show the effects and relation between neighborhood food environment, neighborhood socioeconomic status, and how it connects to diet quality. The method used to find the results in this study was a cross-sectional study. It observed and …show more content…
To find out about the neighborhood environment, the researchers in this article used the Canadian Census data and the Geographical Information System databases. The Canadian Census data were specifically used to derive a seven variable socioeconomic deprivation index. The Geographical Information System databases were used to assess the density, diversity, and presence of specific food destination type within the participants walking range. Lastly, the Canadian Diet History Questionnaire II was used to help the Canadian adapted Healthy Eating Index to assess diet quality to estimate food intakes. The results concluded that food destination density was correlated with the diet quality of the participants, however, socioeconomic status did not contribute to the diet quality of the …show more content…
Gorman, Tiffani Kisler, and Elizabeth Metallinos-Katsaras (2014) entitled, “Between Family Food Behaviors, Maternal Depression, and Child Weight Among Low-Income Children”, examines why such variation exists among diverse young children in poor families. It is known that low-income children are at greater risk of being overweight and obesity than higher-income children, however, the majority of poor children are actually not overweight. This research was a cross-sectional study. The data was collected from 164 low-income, preschool aged children and their mothers. These participants lived in two cities of Rhode Island. More than half of the sample were Hispanic (55%). The women were asked to participate in a study on the challenges of feeding their children healthy food. The survey took 30-40 minutes to complete and trained Bilingual staff was there for mothers who only spoke Spanish. The study found out that the majority of mothers were single (69.8%) with monthly household incomes of less than $1,500. These results showed that nearly all families receive some form government assistance (96.3%). Then the research found out that one-third of the children were overweight (17.1%) or obese (15.9%). It also demonstrated that healthy weight children were more likely to live in households with monthly incomes over $1,500 as compared to overweight children. The study also obtains results if depression and insecurities affected the
Chicago in the 1920s was a turning point for the development of ethnic neighborhoods. After the opening of the first rail connection from New York to Chicago in the 1840s, immigration sky rocketed from that point on. Majority of the immigrants to Chicago were Europeans. The Irish, Italians, eastern European Jews, Germans, and Mexicans were among the most common ethnicities to reside in Chicago. These groups made up the greater part of Chicago. The sudden increase in immigration to Chicago in the 1920s soon led to an even further distinguished separation of ethnicities in neighborhoods. The overall development of these neighborhoods deeply impacted how Chicago is sectioned off nowadays. Without these ethnicities immigrating to Chicago almost 100 years ago, Chicago neighborhoods would not be as culturally defined and shaped as they are today.
Author, Christopher Pelletier, in his essay, “The Locavore’s Dilemma,” shares his point of view on the 100-mile food diet. Pelletier’s purpose is convince us, his readers, that a strictly local diet will not work out but by the end of the article, he brings ideas that could incorporate local eating into today’s consumer market. He also respects his audience, because Pelletier shows his goodwill by expressing his opinions on the topic and not forcing others into thinking his judgement is right.
Did you know that today, 2.1 billion people – nearly 30% of the world's population – are either obese or overweight because they ate unhealthy food and didn’t exercise? After reading the Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, I have learned about all the opportunities right here in Rochester that have to do with eating more local food. We should eat more local food because it is healthier for us and it helps the environment.
Childhood obesity in Mississippi is rising due to a parent’s lack of healthy food choices and lack of obesity awareness. Without proper nutrition, obesity is inevitable, and quality nutrition begins within the home of the child. If a parent constantly buys processed foods and saturated fats, it limits a child to only eat what is available at home. Within a study done by BMC Pediatrics, “Parental surveys revealed that approximately 40% of children eat less than two servings of fruits and vegetables per day” (Tovar, Chui, Hyatt, Kuder, Kraak, Choumenkovitch, S., & ... Economos). Although this is a statistic regarding the United States as a whole, the percentage of childhood obesity in Mississippi is higher than the national average. Parents in Mississippi would presumably be starving their children of proper nutrition. Poor nutrition and diet in a parent will eventually be passed down to a child. According to a study at Stanford University, “64% of children with overweight parents became overweight, compared with o...
The swinging sixties were a time of change, people began to think differently they were no longer living in a Great Depression. Middle class families began to move their families to the suburbs to find the great American dream. John Cheever examines suburban life and peels back the clean cut image and exposes its deep, dark secrets in many of his short stories. In “The Swimmer“, John Cheever’s short story explores the dissatisfaction and secrets among the middle class white Americans who live in suburbia .
“Food Deserts” as defined by the CDC, are “areas that lack access to affordable fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk, and other foods that make up the full range of a healthy diet” (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). In simpler terms, a food desert is a community with little to no grocery stores. Many reports show that neighborhoods with less access to neighborhood grocery stores have a higher risk for obesity and unhealthy diets unlike neighborhoods where residents have better access to neighborhood grocery stores. The “USDA estimates that 23.5 million people, including 6.5 million children, live in low-income areas that are than one mile from a supermarket. Of the 23.5 million, 11.5 million are low-income individuals in households with incomes at or below 200 percent of the poverty line. Of the 2.3 million people living in low-income rural areas that ...
Childhood obesity in particular poses a large problem because it increases the likelihood of these children developing diabetes and heart disease, staying obese into adulthood, and therefore being more prone to chronic diseases. According to Healthy People 2020, 81.8% of adolescents do not reach the optimal amount of physical activity recommended for them. This is one of the factors that has led to 1 in 6, or 16.2%, of children and adolescents being obese (Nutrition). A research conducted on children and adolescents from 1999-2010 showed that 21.2% of Hispanic American children and adolescents were obese compared to 14.0% of non-Hispanic white children and adolescents (Ogden). In a 2004 study researchers examined the risk factors for obesity in Hispanic American 5 and 6 year olds. They took height and weight calculations of 230 kindergarteners from two public schools and interviewed and measured several mothers. They defined overweight as height for weight measurement at or above the 95 percentile for other children their age and a BMI of 25-29.9 as overweight for mothers and 30 or above as obese (Ariza). The growing prevalence of overweight children makes it clear that the problem is rooted in environment not just genetics. The risk factors focused on in this study were demographics, acculturation, physical activity, infant/toddler feeding practices, current eating habits, the mother’s attitude toward and belief about obesity and psychosocial family elements (Ariza). The researchers proposed the more acculturated to Western ideas the family was, the more overweight the children. Demographics asked about where mother and child were born and the education level and marital status of the mother. Physical activity asked how much time was spent participating in physical activity and watching TV. Infant/toddler feeding practices focused on the length of time breast-feeding and introduction
Specifically in these communities, there is a multitude of environmental, psychological, and biological causal factors that lead children to overeat, make nutritious food choices, and not exercise sufficiently. Public health professionals offer a compelling perspective on the developing successful interventions to halt the childhood obesity epidemic. "The Department of Health and Human Services has defined housing insecurity as high housing cost in proportion to income, poor housing quality, unstable neighborhoods, overcrowding, or homelessness” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Nutrition and health have become more popular in today 's society. Our generation is becoming more and more indebted to the idea of being healthy and eating nutritious meals. However, in “The American Paradox,” by Michael Pollan he argues that our unhealthy population is preoccupied with nutrition and the idea of eating healthy than their actual health. He also mentions the food industry, nutrition science and how culture affects the way we eat and make food choices. While Pollan is right about all these factor that affect our eating habits, there is more to it than that. Convenience, affordability and social influence also affects our food choices making them inadequate.
Food Research and Action Center. Relationship Between Poverty and Overweight or Obesity. 2010. Web. 21 Oct. 2013.
The ambiance of a district also sways the wellness of the individuals that reside within the province. It is proven that citizens who have “greener” communities (more parks, grassy areas, trees) are more likely to be healthier and have a greater life expectancy (2). This could stem from a feeling of security which allows for the people of that area engage in exercise more often than people from areas where it is unsafe to walk the streets alone even in the daytime. Lack of r...
Throughout my duration at the grocery store, I compared quite a few items that are generally kept in my pantry and refrigerator with items that are much healthier in comparison. I equated the list of Ingredients and Nutritional Facts between certain items. In a realization, I concluded that a majority of the food that is kept in my home are not as healthy as I had anticipated.
Growing up in today’s culture offers more convenience than ever before. This fast-paced lifestyle unfortunately leaves little time for most to shop, prepare and enjoy healthy food. Many people find it easier to buy packaged, pre-made or fast food in place of more sustaining foods. In Paleolithic times humans were required to hunt meat, gather and forage vegetables, roots, seeds and nuts to live. These skills served up fare that was full of nutrition and sustenance. Today’s processed and sugar-laden foods offer convenience but at the cost of some health problems. A February 2009 study done by the Department of Medicine in the University of California, San Francisco, shows a remarkable improvement in
Food insecurity and childhood obesity has become an issue presumed by the lack of affordable healthy foods. In recent decades, healthy food prices of fruits and vegetables have increased, whereas prices of sugary snacks and soft drinks have decreased. The study has shown that living in areas with higher priced fast-foods and soft drinks can be connected to lower body weight and BMI, and the opposite effect for living in an area with lower priced fast-foods and the body weight being higher. The purpose of this study is to analyze children from infancy to age five, associating when there were higher levels of food insecurity. BMI scores, overweight, and food insecurity were the dependent variables, and the independent variables consisted of the
An analysis conducted by Lisa Cornish from the Herald Sun has found a correlation between income and healthy eating for Australians in their article “Victoria leads way in fighting Childhood obesity”. Wilkinson and Marmot (2003) identified ten social determinants that affect the health outcomes and wellbeing of individuals and the wider community. This paper will focus on Early Life and Social Gradient and how these determinants are affecting the childhood obesity epidemic. ‘Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century’ The World Health Organisation (WHO, 2014) states, ‘The problem is global and is steadily affecting many low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings.’