Researched Essay
How is discrimination prevalent in the food industry
Throughout the past decade, health and nutritional awareness have become popular trends among the general public. Terms like “organic” and “locally grown” have begun to pique the interest of consumers, and supermarkets specializing in these products have skyrocketed in popularity. Shopping at these stores, conversions of lifestyles and dieting have become extremely common. There are various neighborhoods where at any given corner you can spot a Whole Foods, farmers market. Etc. On the other hand there are many communities that still lack these options even after years of advancements in others. Because of these discrepancies across neighborhoods, it has become clear that while society continues to promote the practice of health-based lifestyles, and shame those who continue to consume food considered unhealthy, it disregards the lack of access certain communities, specifically communities of color, have to these healthy foods along with the ability of residents within these communities to successfully participate in these promoted lifestyles. In my essay I will address the differences among these communities, the effects lack of healthy food options have on residents, along with discussing specially how communities of color are left out of health practices.
Food desert is a term used to describe locations (specifically urban neighborhoods) where residents struggle with having limited access to healthy and affordable food. In these neighborhoods, there are typically very few supermarkets and the ones located in the area have very few options. Access to nutritious food is almost non-existent in these environments and a variety of studies have shown that food deserts are often linked to low-income and urban communities. In his article. (1) Food deserts: Governing obesity in the neoliberal city, Jerry Shannon addresses ‘food deserts’ describing what they are, and subsequently introducing the connection between neighborhood type and food choices. He first states, “a dramatic rise in rates of obesity beginning in the late 1980s created deep concern about an obesity ‘epidemic’, particularly among low-income populations. “ He goes into detail about what caused the epidemic, introducing the consumption the fast food industry specifically in low income communities. He further states “The comparative abundance of such foods (fast food) in low-income urban neighborhoods, combined with a corresponding lack of fresh produce and other healthy foods, has led to research on the role of ‘obesogenic environments’ and food deserts in causing obesity.” In these low-income communities Shannon sheds a light on, residents have no option between healthy and unhealthy. They only have access to one type of food and consumption of it has led to detrimental effects on health.
Supporting this, there are websites that map the locations of food deserts, providing statistics on specific demographics. One of them being the USDA’s food desert locator. According to data collected based on the map (2) “about 2.3 million people (americans) live in low-income neighborhoods a mile or more from a supermarket, and do not have a car. For these individuals and families, access to supermarkets is limited to carpooling or, more likely, taking the bus—a physically taxing proposition made more difficult in places where buses don’t stop near a grocery.” This emphasizes the difficulty residents of food deserts have accessing appropriate food. The constant travel combined with the expense of the food is not something everyone can afford. The struggle of accessing food has even been represented across social media where various memes regarding the issue have been created, similar to this one.
Locavorism is one of the major health lifestyles that has grown in popularity recently. It is based on the consumption of only locally produced food. These foods are often fresh and full of nutrition, and they are generally found at farmers markets or local grocery stores. Not only do locavores aim to improve their health, but they also have a goal of minimizing their participation in polluting the earth. Locally food is all harvested/produced within the area of consumption. There are no trucks transporting the food across long distances and no chemical preservation methods.
For those who live in food deserts, practicing locavorism is basically impossible. With no access to food in their neighborhoods, there is no way for them to shop locally. And along with lack of access. Locally produced and healthier foods tend to be more expensive than normal food. According to a study conducted by Harvard, (3) “Over the course of a year, $1.50/day more for eating a healthy diet would increase food costs for one person by about $550 per year.” While that doesn’t seem like much at first, with residents of low-income communities being the topic of discussion, any increase and expenses can prove to become a burden. For the average family, containing 3-4 people, that would be an increase of $1650-$2200, which is extremely unrealistic for most.
So in addition to lack of physical access, low income families struggle to actually afford healthy food. It’s almost impossible for them to practice healthy eating when there is no food in their reach. The fact that food deserts have been linked to urban communities (where the majority of residents are people of color) is unacceptable.
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