When you think of food, what do you think of? The last meal you ate, perhaps, or your favorite dish. Maybe you think of the diet you’re on, or the food you’re cooking for your next dinner party. No matter what you think of, food is present throughout our lives and has a major influence on our well-being, from physical to emotional to social. A term such as “hangry,” a colloquial term used to describe feeling anger from experiencing hunger, demonstrates how much food influences human beings.
However, food can also lead to adverse health consequences whether from increased intake or consistent ingestion of foods that are high in sugar, salt, etc.. And, even if a person wanted to eat healthier foods, equal access to healthy food is a major issue within the United States, with some people simply not able to afford the higher prices of healthier produce. For African-American and Hispanic people in low income communities, structural and historical disparities are prime reasons for food inequalities and the aforementioned group has higher rates of obesity and other chronic illnesses (Williams). In 2018, nearly a third of the population of the United States was overweight, which means that nearly a third of the population was at a higher risk for adverse health consequences (Overweight & Obesity Statistics). However, in both African-American and Hispanic populations, almost half of the populations are considered obese (Overweight & Obesity Statistics). Conjointly, there have been multiple analyses performed by researchers that state that the “health status of people of color in the United States remains unconscionably lower than that of whites” (Williams). It is vital for people of color to take deliberate steps in eradicating these health disparities, because they are ingrained in the history and the culture of communities they reside in. In order to obtain a healthier minority population throughout the United States, patients and communities must take steps to combat the contributing factors that lead to increased adverse health consequences.
Nell Burwell, a Black woman from Edgecombe County in North Carolina, discusses how growing up in her community contributed to her health issues in an interview with Lauren Frey from the Southern Oral History Program.
“Edgecombe County is one of the highest counties with diseases and things of that type and not eating healthy…What do we have on this side of town that has healthy food? Only thing we have, we have fried food.”
There is a reason for this, however. During the Jim Crow era, Caucasian families developed their wealth by increasing their homeownership, while African-American families were prohibited from buying homes (Yearby). The companies that built homes were given grants as long as they didn’t build homes for African-American people, so the suburbs were created for white families while African-American and Hispanic people were relegated to inner city districts (Yearby). In these cities, access to supermarkets and fresh produce was limited, and simultaneously, there was an increase in fast food restaurants and convenience stores (Yearby). Areas such as these are commonly referred to as food deserts. Because these sources of food were far more populous and cheaper than supermarkets, this is the food that many began to eat. It’s common for these foods to be high in sugar, salt, fats, and other ingredients, that if ingested regularly would begin to increase the rates of obesity and other health consequences in these populations. These adverse health consequences may take the form of a person having a higher risk of acquiring disease such as cancers, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other diseases (Yearby). However, because these health issues are tied to the structure of the community, patients must take the initiative to address these issues themselves. Burwell also discusses what she is doing to decrease her intake of fried food.
“…I get baked chicken or either I go to Zaxby’s and get whatever, and then I go to the fitness center. So I can see myself now, I feel 100 percent better, and I’m drinking water. I feel light feeling. I don’t feel heavy. Now I feel like I could run, and I feel my body is not the same as eating all of that greasy food, fried chicken.”
The issue with this, however, is that there is still no structural change that allows Burwell to purchase healthier food. Zaxby’s is still a fast-food restaurant, though it may be healthier than her previous choices. There is only so much a person can do when their communities haven’t had access to healthy food options in decades.
Another aspect of the food and health relationship is food culture, defined by Jerome Williams et al. as “largely symbolic expressions by which people establish, maintain, and reinforce their (sub)cultural, ethnic, and individual identities.” In essence, there are certain foods commonly eaten by different communities that stem from the historical experiences that define those communities (Williams et al). The creation of Mexican-American Tex-Mex, for example, stems from Mexican-Americans adapting to the new environment and resources they had at their disposal (Williams et al). Andrea Williams-Morales, a Mexican-American woman from Sampson County describes how important it is to put in the work to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but also the challenges that come with trying to educate family members that are used to their current food culture. Stating,
“You can use, let’s say, olive oil, okay, versus Crisco. You know, you don’t have to fry your chicken. You can grill your chicken. It’s stuff—it’s almost stuff like that, but that’s what they’re used to,”
Williams-Morales outlines the struggle she has witnessed within her extended family concerning convincing them to cook their food in a healthier way. Another difficulty in this education is that it is common for minorities to associate healthier living with the white middle class (Williams et al). And because food products themselves are marketed to specific food cultures, the average customer is less likely to deviate from their typical brand or cooking style (Williams et al). Education is needed in order to combat these health issues because it’s not just the patients at fault, it is the entire system that they operate in.
It is important to not view racial health disparities in a vacuum because structural racism impacts all aspects of daily life for minorities. While there are many issues that fall under the umbrella of racial health disparities, food is one that deserves severe attention. The illnesses and diseases that are far more prevalent in minority communities are prevalent for a reason, and understanding that is key to fighting these issues. Educating minorities to make the conscious effort to minimize the unhealthy foods they are eating is vital to improving the health of minorities, especially those in low-income areas. However, the responsibility isn’t solely on the patients, it is also on the society and community they live in. Accessibility to healthy food options is key to improving the health of many lower socioeconomic communities because there is only so much a person can improve their foodways if they don’t have the ability to. Only together can these health disparities be mitigated.
References
Burwell, Nell. Interview with Lauren Frey. 19 June 2019 (Y-0089). Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007), Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“Overweight & Obesity Statistics.” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity.
Williams, Jerome D., Crockett, David, Harrison, Robert L., Thomas, Kevin D. “The role of food culture and marketing activity in health disparities.” Preventive Medicine vol. 55, 5. 2012, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2011.12.021.
Williams-Morales, Andrea. Interview with Madelaine Katz. 23 July 2019 (Y-0137). Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007), Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Yearby, R. (2018), “Racial Disparities in Health Status and Access to Healthcare: The Continuation of Inequality in the United States Due to Structural Racism.” Am J Econ Sociol, 77: 1113-1152. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajes.12230