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Social influence in america about eating
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According to Diaz (2011) income and food cost affect the overall diet of the U.S adult population. Primarily, studies show that issues such as the socioeconomic status and food prices greatly influence people’s diet, determining their food choices. People from higher social classes value importance of nutrition because they have a variety of diet options. For instance, Drewnowski and Darmon (2011) suggest that obesity in the U.S is a socioeconomic issue, which is directly related to limited economic and social resources. This essay explains how income and food cost affect our diet choices. People from higher social classes consume healthier foods compared to people from lower social classes because the overall food choices are influenced by the price of products and the person's socioeconomic position. So, tell me does income and food cost really affect our diet? …show more content…
For instance, people from poor households replace fruit juice with soda and healthy whole-grain bread with wonder bread in the U.S. Drewnowski and Darmon (2011) indicate that lack of knowledge regarding healthy diet by people from low social classes leads to the development of poor health decisions. For instance, the former observe that people from poor households prefer cheap foods with added sugars or fats than the recommended healthy diets such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. To this matter, there is an opposite relationship between energy cost and energy density of foods, where energy-dense fats, grains, and sweet are part of the lowest-cost dietary options to the
In her essay, “Food’s Class Warfare,” author Tracie McMillan promotes the inclusion of both “individual changes and structural ones” (217), particularly “class consciousness” (217), in the fight for quality diets in America. She reveals the most common sides of the healthy food debate as the inherent “just-buy-better stuff logic” (215) and the opposing “structural challenges of eating well” (215). The main strategies for defeating the American “obesity epidemic” (216) have been reaching out to the individual, as well as changing the structure of the American food system itself. The favorite concept for structuralists is “food deserts - neighborhoods with insufficient grocery stores and thus insufficient supplies of healthy food” (216). She deems the concept insufficient in practice, as it ignores smaller markets and equates large stores with a healthy food source. While the individual viewpoint and structuralists argue with each other, they share common ideals. According to
[It] is not surprising considering the current structure of food prices is such that sweet and high-fat foods provide dietary energy at a low cost, whereas the energy cost of lean meats, fish, vegetables and fruit are likely to be higher" (Inglis, 2008). Another suggestion Pollan brings up is the idea that people should spend more money on nutritional foods in order to better their health (Pollan, 2007). As I previously mentioned, this suggestion disregards low-income households because money can be a barrier as to why they are not buying nutritional foods but unhealthy foods. What makes matters worse is the fact that Pollan states, "not everyone can afford to eat well in America, which is shameful, but most of us can….and those of us who can afford to eat, well should" (Pollan,
Although the two authors do not refer to each other directly in their works, both their perspectives share a common ground that no enough income make people eating less healthy. Pinsker argues that the actual barrier that stops people from eating healthy is the lack of income (129-130). He uses studies to show that poor families choose processed food because children like those tasty processed food (Pinsker 129-134). Whereas poor families cannot afford the waste if children refused to eat healthier but less tasty food parents provided (Pinsker 129-134). Cortright also suggests that income matters the most to why people do not eat healthy. He even further discusses income as the most influential limiting factor by addressing that other factors such as physical proximity to local food sources do not cause people to eat less healthy (Cortright 135-138). The two authors, in general, reach a consensus and mutually prove that income plays as the biggest limiting factor for people to have healthy
Nutrition and health have become more popular in today 's society. Our generation is becoming more and more indebted to the idea of being healthy and eating nutritious meals. However, in “The American Paradox,” by Michael Pollan he argues that our unhealthy population is preoccupied with nutrition and the idea of eating healthy than their actual health. He also mentions the food industry, nutrition science and how culture affects the way we eat and make food choices. While Pollan is right about all these factor that affect our eating habits, there is more to it than that. Convenience, affordability and social influence also affects our food choices making them inadequate.
Eating nutritious food may seem simple enough, but to those that hardly get by financially, affording healthy foods can be a major hindrance. This is proven by Dr. Jim Levine, a researcher with a concentration of the link between poverty and obesity. He is quoted stating, “In many poverty-dense regions, people are… unable to access affordable healthy food, even when funds avail.” (Sifferlin 1) For example, further studies show that the average cost of salad is $1.50 more than the average cost of a hamburger. Getting vitamins and minerals from the food we eat is substantial to survive in everyday life. Annually, it costs five hundred and fifty dollars more to eat healthier. Five hundred and fifty dollars may not seem like much, but to those that have low income, it is a crucial amount. While achieving a healthy diet proves to be necessary to maintain a healthy weight, it is almost inaccessible for those with low income. Low-income individuals confront the barrier of the cost of healthier choices in their everyday
n this research paper, I will discuss how bad eating habits, poor nutritional choices, and economics affect the health of the body. I chose this topic because of my quest to improve my health and my family’s health. I am discovering I must consider the above aspects to improve our overall health and nutrition. I discovered the food we consume gives our body the nutrients and information needed to function. Educating yourself on the effects of the food you consume is key to maintaining healthy eating.
Williams, Carla. "Eating Healthy Foods May Be Too Expensive for the Poor." Fast Food. Ed. Tracy Brown Collins. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. At Issue. Rpt. from "Eating Healthy Might Prove Too Expensive for the Poor: Fruits, Vegetables May Break a Low-Income Family's Budget." abcnews.go.com. 2007. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 27 Jan. 2014.
The poor food choices that men and women make is the cause of many illnesses, disease and chronic health conditions. Men and women generally have different thoughts and choices on the topic of healthy food. People’s bad health may be genetically occurred or their exposure to their past nutritional education was not helpful, but their bad health is primarily based upon the poor choices that the individuals choose in daily life.
Healthy food is consistently more expensive than less healthy one, because producers are focused on providing inexpensive products for low-income people. As a result, low-income neighborhoods have lack of grocery stores and markets where they can buy a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, etc. Nevertheless, low-income communities have greater availability of fast food restaurants, especially near schools. Furthermore, they have limited healthy food choices. For example, the advertisement of Sun Fed Beef was displaced in middle and high incomes neighborhood of downtown
...e in this country are able to survive comfortably. The cost of food and level of income is one of the most thought of influences when it comes to food selection. Generally, a person with a large income is able to afford a varied diet that is rich in all the nutrient groups. The cost of food varies according to the type of food, the amount bought, the place its bought,whether it is in season or not, the use by date, store specials and how much it has been processed. Those on lowered incomes may be forced to select discounted foods, generic brands, and buy in bulk in order to save money. The amount of available resources commonly limits what we can buy and prepare. If money is plentiful it enables you to choose to go out for a meal or have someone cook it for you, whereas if you are on a tight budget it requires knowledge, skill and food requirements to make a meal.
If our food choices were driven solely on the factors of hunger, and the desire for nutrient, and energy efficient fuel for the body, we as Americans would be a healthier bunch, eating the same foods our great grandmothers could recognize. However this is not the case. So, what are the determining factors shaping what foods we eat? With time, food and technology have progressed, as the food industry has changed the food game completely by having influence on consumer. According to International Food Information Council (IFIC) foundation 2011 food and health survey "Taste and price are the biggest drivers of Americans food choices". Although the economy may impact your finances, and foods high in sugar and salt taste better, make smarter choices,
Therefore, people tend to go to McDonalds to have a Big Mac rather than getting healthier food. According to Fryar and Ervin (2013), “in the youngest age group, 20–39, the percentage of calories consumed from fast food significantly decreased with increasing income level.” In this case, people that have lower income tend to have more unhealthy food because they cannot afford healthy food.
One hundred percent of those with an income above $125,000 and seventy –eight percent of those with an income between $80,001-$125,000 were willing to purchase it. The individuals surveyed who earned an income less than $42,000 were willing to purchase the reduced priced expired food 65.5% of the time and those who were in the middle class earning between $42,000-$80,000% were willing to purchase it 52% of the time. This deviated from the original hypothesis since it was thought the lower and middle class were more likely to purchase the food than the upper class. It is surprising that the people in the lower class and middle class supported it the least since it can be thought that they would be the class most benefitted by the reduced prices. Perhaps this is because they don’t want to feel inadequate by purchasing the reduced price food while those with a higher socioeconomic status are more secure with their income. Another reason could be that people with a higher socioeconomic status tend to be better educated; therefore, they might be more aware of the environmental distress caused by food waste.
It became so clear that junk foods lead to a punch of catastrophic diseases like obesity, type two diabetes, vascular diseases and cardiac disorders. Those kinds of diseases cost more than $150 billion annually, just to diagnose, treat people who suffer from them. That disease is chronic and leads to many health-related issues, for example, obesity considers a risk factor for type two diabetes, and high blood pressure, joint disorders and many others (The Denver Post 2012). The key of preventing many chronic problems is nutrition. Low income plays an important role of limiting most people to buy and eat a healthy diet and in the other hand, it is easy for people budgets to purchase junk foods. So controlling the prices of healthy foods to be suitable for all people make good nutrition available for everyone. Adequate diets mean decreasing the epidemic of those serious diseases, and stopping the spread and break the bad sequences that may happen. Long-term exposure to junk foods that are full with chemicals like additives, preservatives have led to chronic illnesses difficult to treat. Also, the chemical added to junk foods are tasted unique and made millions of people becoming addicted to them and are available everywhere for example in restaurants, cafes, lunchrooms (The Denver Post
The driving force behind food purchase decisions is hunger overall. Consumers are aware that it is necessary to consume food in order to have enough energy to be able to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Knowledge is limited in some areas of the world so food choices come from observations and experiences. There are many biological, economic, physical, social, and psychological factors that affect food choices.