Food Environments And Childhood Weight Status : Effects Of Neighborhood Median Income

Obesity is a problem in different areas throughout the world; obesity is a major problem in the United States of America. The food industry in the U.S. has changed. Food is cheaper and easier to access, but food is lower in quality and is massively produced (Kenner, 2008). Food is no longer as hard to come by as it once was and is not as expensive, but healthy food is more expensive and, most of the time, requires trips to the grocery store. In American society today, American are busy and have minimal time to exercise, cooking, or even go to the grocery store. The lower socioeconomic classes are notably affected as a result of individuals and families of lower socioeconomic classes often can’t afford healthy food from local grocery stores

Research has shown an ethnic and racial disparity in the frequency of childhood overweight and obesity. Specifically, minority children face a disproportionately higher chance of obesity; Taveras, Gillman, Kleinman, Rich-Edwards, and Rifas-Shiman agree: “…many risk factors for child obesity are more prevalent among black and Hispanic children than among white children (p. 693). ” They go on to write that additional variables affecting those two minority groups include belonging to a lower socioeconomic class, sleeping less than their white counterparts, and a greater likelihood of consuming sugar-sweetened beverages and fast food after age two .

Children and adolescents, their health is of the most upmost importance. The child is impacting through everything they do in their lives and everything that they come face to. One of these factors that come into play into a child’s life is Obesity. Most importantly the racial and ethnic disparities that involve Obesity. Unless this issue of this inclining obesity is addressed, there will be assumptions that the amount of years a person will live will surely decline (Johnson, 2012). Obesity is a killer as it is the secondary killer and could well be our first if the people don’t take action (Johnson, 2012). Obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease as well as asthma and diabetes (Johnson, 2012). Seventeen percent of young adults in the USA today are obese (Rossen, 2014). The commonness of obesity has escalated throughout the years in Children and Young adults that were being seen in Adults (Caprio et al., 2008). There are many disparities in which affect children in every way but the one that affects the obesity in childhood is racial and ethnic disparities. The amount of obesity in childhood is increasing in all ethnic and racial groups but it is found that nonwhite population have the most amount of Obesity (Caprio et al., 2008). The Mexican- American and non-Hispanic black children have a heavier load to carry as of racial and ethnic subgroups (Rossen, 2014). As children are expose to different physical and social environments, they are wide-open to different

This overwhelming statistic contributes to the 17% of children that have obesity in the United States. More specifically in Texas, 19.1% of children are considered obese. Furthermore, Texas is tied for the rank of 11 for the highest obesity rates among the United States. Looking at the Brazos County every one in seven person is obese. This statistic accounts for the one half of the population is overweight or obese. In lower-income areas such as parts of the Brazos Valley, obesity rates tend to be higher compared to higher income areas. reveal to have higher obesity rates. This is because majority of low-income families have less access to healthy food and opportunity for physical activity. Lower income neighborhoods offer a higher accessibility to unhealthy food sources. In a study done on low-income areas of Los Angeles, it was shown that a greater number of fast-food restaurants congregate the low income areas of Los Angeles compared to the higher income areas of Los Angeles (Hilmers, et al., 2015). Results for similar studies done on the amount of convenience stores in certain areas show that “Low-income zip codes have 30% more conveniences stores” compared to middle-income zip codes (Hilmers, et al., 2015). Convenience stores tend to carry large amounts of snack food, a variety of beverages, and little produce. Low-income areas also reveal that the portion of recreational facilities in

There are many people who believe that obesity is a matter of personal responsibility. Many people think it is Americans are the ones who to blame and not the fast food industry. Many people may say that it is easy to blame obesity on what Americans eat. However, these people do not realize that many Americans cannot afford healthy foods. So, since fast foods are cheap and affordable, it may be why many people choose them. In the article “Physical activity and childhood obesity” Green, Riley, and Hargrove explain “a greater percentage of adolescents from families living in poverty are obese (23%), compared with those from families of a higher socioeconomic status (14%)” (915). Additionally, this statement demonstrates that although obesity may be caused by genes or psychological influences, the environment is the most important factor. When families are in poverty, they are not looking for what is healthy and what is unhealthy. They are looking for food to survive, and so many times fast food is the only option. Following this future, there is indication that obesity, extremely affects certain minority youth populations. The National Health and Nutrition Examination survey found that African American and Hispanic adolescents ages 12-19 were more likely to be overweight at 21 and 23 percent, respectively, as compared to non-Hispanic White adolescents (14%) (915). Furthermore, these statistics show that there is a strong relationship among race or ethnicity, poverty, and

concludes that there are a multitude of factors that have contributed to the recent childhood obesity growth rates, including changes in the environment where children are raised. "In the built environment and urban lifestyle have resulted in reduced physical activities and, consequently, have played a role in the growth of childhood obesity." Consumers generally lack credible nutritional information.

Poverty has a direct influence on the type of food that is consumed due to the rising cost of healthier foods, as well as the fact that less healthy, higher calorie foods are typically more affordable (The State of Obesity, 2014). To get a clearer look at the income level of African American families, statistics show that nearly 40% of African American children under 18 live under the poverty line, as well as more than 12% of African American families living with an income that is less than 50% of the federal poverty line (The State of Obesity, 2014). The other predominant issue that aids in obesity in the African American population is the lack of available resources in the form of food options and education. Even with their income status excluded from the equation, African American neighborhoods contain the least amount of supermarkets compared to other neighborhoods (The State of Obesity, 2014). The lack of supermarkets near them makes it difficult to find access to fresher, healthier foods to eat in order to foster a healthier

Even with Michelle Obama’s commitment to eradicate food deserts nationwide by 2017, (YOUTUBE VIDEO) the number and severity of food deserts in the Sedgwick County area is continuing to grow. Research suggests that food deserts are more likely to 1) be in low income neighborhoods, 2) be in minority neighborhoods, and have groceries offered at a higher rate (food is more expensive). Additionally, food deserts tend to have a higher concentration of fast food restaurants (Morland, Wing, Roux, & Poole, 2001) and some studies suggest a positive correlation between BMI and food deserts (Gallagher, 2014). Because crime tends to occur more often in low income neighborhoods, other studies suggest that unsafe play environments could be more positively correlated to BMI than food deserts (Booth, Pinkston, & Poston, 2005). This is controversial at best and further research needs to be conducted to determine the relationship between childhood obesity and food deserts. In Wichita the demographics of food deserts are on target with research and it is plain to see why it’s happening here and in places across

Childhood obesity is becoming one of the top public health concerns in the United States. “Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates have tripled in the U.S., and today, the country has some of the highest obesity rates in the world: one out of six children is obese, and one out of three children is overweight or obese” (World Health Organization, 2015). With the drastic increase in obese children over the last 30 years and the huge healthcare associated costs many programs and incentives have been implemented to fight this epidemic. Although any child can become obese “racial and ethnic inequities persist among children; 22.5 percent of Latino children and 20.2 percent of Black children are obese, compared to 14.1 percent of

It is no coincidence that the obesity rate is higher in poverty-stricken regions of the United States. Author James Levine suggested, “Individuals who live in impoverished regions have poor access to fresh foods. Poverty-dense areas are oftentimes called “food deserts,” implying diminished access to fresh food.” (Levine) Families of poorer regions of America have no choice, but to eat the cheap, unhealthy fast food. Our society is based upon speed. The fast pace life of Americans do not have time for extravagant meals; they prefer to eat on the go. And the low-income families substitute fresh produce and healthy meat for dehydrated carrot sticks and chicken nuggets from the dollar

Poor parents are less likely to monitor their children's diet, diet patterns and physical activity due to stress and time constraints if they work. Parents who work full-time are less able to monitor their children due to a decrease in maternal presence and availability during the day. Studies shows that poor people who move out of low-income housing into better neighborhoods are much less likely to have diabetes or be obese than people who stay behind in poor neighborhoods. Studies suggests that not only the financial burned of poverty contributes to obesity but the surroundings or type of area that an individual lives in adds to the complication. (Committee on Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity. National academic Press. ) (2005) Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity: Focus on Schools. Retrieved from the National academic Press, http://site.ebrary.com/lib/devry/Doc?id=10115249&ppg=11

One must understand the diversity of health issues in dealing with different ethnicity groups in childhood obesities. Since my research data demonstrate that minorities are more likely to be obese than non-minorities, thus I do not want to provide an image of social labeling and stigmatizing minority children who are overweight. There are many factors that play in role in children being obese that must be taken into accounts. One of the factors, the income status of the parents and how it generally affects the child quality of life, living environment. For example, if the parents have a low yearly income it can factor in the child being obese in comparison to a child’s parent having an average or high income, including affecting the living environment and the type of food eaten. In addition, obese children are prone to psychological issues such as depression, general anxiety, emotional problem, including eating disorder (Holm et al., 2014). And different race and ethnicity deal with these types of psychological issues differently.

Thirdly, the self-knowledge to prevent obesity is another issue. For the children, their parents’ knowledge of appropriate food will directly affect them, since their schools mainly focus on the academics of the children, and rarely on dietary education. If the parents gain knowledge to pick up healthy food for their children, their children will eat healthier and vice versa. As Cluss et al. (2013) stressed, the parents with low social economic status revealed a lack of knowledge regarding the nutrition values in common food. They just provide their children with any food that is accessible and cheap. Consequently, the children who live in low-income families represented a large portion of childhood obesity. Especially in New York City, the prevalence of childhood obesity is high in Hispanic and Black boys which may be associated with higher amount of children live in lower socioeconomic status and lack of knowledge to prevent obesity. (Thorpe et al., 20014).

America is a wealthy nation, yet 10.6% of households with children (4.2 million) suffer from food insecurity [1]. Low-income households are also much more likely than others to suffer from childhood hunger, caused by a recurrent or involuntary lack of food. The USDA defines food insecurity as “limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways” [2]. Yet, obesity of children in America has become a crosscutting demographic epidemic. While most Americans are affected by the social and environmental causes of energy intake exceeding energy expenditure, research has also linked poverty

Childhood obesity has been a major concern of the Obamas’ Obesity Taskforce.1 Two indicators that this author would consider in evaluating the healthfulness of a neighborhood regarding childhood obesity are: 1) its safety in order to promote walking and other physical activities as opposed to sedentary activities. (TV, Internet, talking on cell) 1 and 2) accessibility to fast food (McDonald’s) vs. organic food.1