The Determinants Of Healthy Food, By Jane Taber '

An article written by Jane Taber—published in 2014 in The Globe and Mail—focuses on the apparent dilemma between healthy eating and staying above the poverty line in Canada. According to the article, more than 1.7 million Canadian households currently struggle to provide nutritious foods for their families due to the low income they are required to live off of (Taber, 2014). Of the twelve determinants of health that influence the lifestyles of all Canadians, there are three that are particularly relevant to the article and the current struggle for many citizens to afford healthy food, including: income and social status, personal health practices and coping skills, and healthy child development. These three determinants significantly affect

There are three particularly applicable social determinants of health to this event: income and social status, personal health practices and coping skills, and healthy child development. People who struggle financially are typically food insecure and tend to choose larger quantities of cheap and unhealthy food over nutritious food that optimizes health. This dilemma between eating healthy and staying above the poverty line also results in various kinds of coping mechanisms, some of which are likely to further hinder an individuals health. Additionally, healthy child development is crucial because food related habits and behaviours are typically established at a young age, which can negatively or positively impact a person’s physical health in the long run. The challenge for people with low incomes to eat healthy has many implications on the nursing profession. It is important for nurses to advocate on behalf of low-income individuals, to intervene when people need help coping and changing their health practices, and to assist parents and children in improving their diets. With the help of nurses and by applying the three aforementioned determinants of health, people can better face the challenges of eating healthy food while simultaneously living below the poverty