Walmart sells many items at ridiculously low prices. They are able to offer low prices on their items due to an incredible mark-up on imported products. Especially in today's economy, the buck is the big winner. Everyone wants to save money, and they can do that by shopping at Walmart, where many items are the lowest price in town, even if it's only by a few pennies. But consumers aren't helping their fellow countryman earn his own living by buying these imported items.
Chips, candy, etc) and fast food. It is very convenient to go through a drive through, call for takeout, or lounge in a restaurant. But what is not realized are the harmful starches and calories being put into their body that in the long-run will have negative effects on the person’s health. Therefore, if Americans became more proactive, and increased their physical exercise, the risk of obesity would
The finding was that on average energy dense food cost $1.76 per 1000 calories, while low energy nutritious food cost $18.16 per 1,000 calories. (“Dope, A High Price for Healthy Food”) This basically shows that unhealthy food are a better bargain for people who are tight on money. The bad thing about it is that the prices for healthy food are continuing to rise while “junk food” is relatively the same or a tad bit lower. America's low income families are therefore In a cycle where since they can't afford healthy food they eat bad, which in turns leads to bad health which leads then leads to high insurance and medical bills which ultimately causes them to get poorer or remain at the bottom of the pyramid. Why is healthy food so much more expensive than regular food?
In United States by the middle of the 20th century supermarkets have increased their business and small grocery store have went out of business. More supermarkets are located in wealthy neighborhoods as compared to low income neighborhoods. This system creates a shortage of food in low income areas or in other words creates food deserts. According to author Thomas food deserts are “area[s] where people do not have easy access to healthy, fresh food, particularly if they are poor and have limited mobility” (Thomas 20). People in this food desert area do not have proper transportation facility and they end up shopping at smaller grocery stores where they pay high costs for low quality products.
There are several factors that can cause the childhood obesity in the low income community. According to the CDC, Low income families generally have less access to both healthy food choices and opportunities for physical activity. Many need nearby retail stores that provide healthy, affordable foods. Often without cars or convenient public transportation options, low income residents must rely for much of their shopping on expensive, fatty, processed foods sold at convenience/corner stores. These families usually have to purchase these foods with the SNAP benefits which these stores accept for payment.
Haygood‘s essay implies the financial burden of purchasing more expensive foods limits the ability to choose a healthy lifestyle. Personal choice really can’t play a role when you are trying to eat healthy but you simply just can’t afford it. The town of Manchester is facing circumstantial obstacles from every angle; from the overabundance amount of fast food chains, the lack of income and education and the complacent attitudes of the community
That's why, these people are likely to avoid these vegetables and other foods that have similar bitterness. This also explains why some people find it harder to eat healthy and keep a balanced diet than others. Researches of the center have also shown that there is a direct relation between the BMI (Body Mass Index) or the size of first degree relatives and the susceptibility of individuals to gain
So since they have low income they only thing they can do is go buy fast food. Arken and Houston also state more causes of obesity in the inner-city, “Obesity is determined by many factors (e.g inactivity, high-fat diet cultural preference)”(2).The culture the parents put their child in is basically by forced because of their living situation. With the low income it’s hard for the African American people to take their child to get health insurance, so they can’t receive advice from the medical establishment on how to prevent obesity. In, “Facing Up to Childhood Obesity” Phillips states the effects of inactivity in Great Britain. Arken and Houston do the same in Obesity in Inner-City African
Americans who don’t have much money to spend on food suffer the most, because the cheapest foods are usually the unhealthiest. In ‘You are What You Grow,’ Pollan notes that unhealthy calories are much more cheap than healthy ones. Those foods are usually mostly processed, and they probably claim to be “packed with nutrients.” Our food system sets out rules that regulate what we eat, and they make the most money from the unhealthy dollars we spend on food rather than the healthy ones. The government gives money to farmers and encourages them to produce certain products. Unhealthy calories come from unhealthy farms.
Some impacts and outcomes for children and young people are: Communities in poverty may not have local amenities such as play schools, mother and toddler groups and usually have higher risk of gangs and anti-social behaviour within their neighborhood, which may reduce their play in a safe outdoor environment. Poor diet due to low income, lone parent etc. They may not be able to afford the type of food that gives them a balanced and healthy diet. Families will want to buy cheaper food, which is processed and has more fat and sugar in it. This kind of food leads to a lack of concentration and obesity, which further leads to health issues such as heart problems.