UEPI has long argued that food environments--food that is readily accessible and affordable where people live, work and play--have an impact on what people eat. Thursday's article on the Time/CNN website, "It's Not Just Genetics," supports the growing recognition that our junk-food saturated neighborhoods, and the high cost of healthier alternatives, do have an impact on the increase in diet-related illnesses in the United States.
"You're a native-American baby born into the Oglala Sioux tribe, living on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota. There are a lot of things that are going to make life a challenge for you, but one of the most perilous will be your weight. Chances are very good that your parents already have a weight problem; obesity is rampant in the 30,000-member community, and half the residents over the age of 40 have Type 2 diabetes. Their genes--and yours, of course--are part of the problem: researchers theorize that Native Americans have a higher than average tendency to gain and store weight, a protection in times of famines past but a risk factor in an America of caloric abundance.
Even without this so-called thrifty gene, you'd face an uphill battle to stay trim. Like many Americans in rural areas, the poorer Oglala Sioux have far less access to fresh fruits and vegetables than those in more connected settlements. This means you're likely to be filling up on high-calorie, processed foods, especially since fatty foods are cheaper than healthy ones, and your family--like more than half the families on the reservation--is probably poor. What's more, the calories you consume stick around, since you're not doing much to burn them off. Your school is probably too far away for you to reach it on foot. Playmates may be similarly distant. And don't even think about parks or playgrounds--multiple studies over the past several years have shown that low-income communities tend to have fewer recreational areas. Though it's all outside your control, nearly every aspect of your environment is pushing you toward gaining weight--which is why 43% of Native-American 5-year-olds in South Dakota are overweight or obese.
You're a Caucasian baby born in Boulder, Colo., and it's hard to count all your advantages in the good-health game. Chances are better than average that your parents are a healthy weight--only 11.9% of Boulder County residents are obese, compared with more than 30% for the U.S. as a whole. Colorado has the second lowest childhood overweight rate in the U.S., according to one survey. You live in a town blessed with parks and rugged natural beauty, where physical activity is all but mandatory and 14 triathlons were held last year--including one for kids as young as 3. But Boulder, with a population of more than 90,000 people, is large and dense; if you live in town, you can probably walk or bike to school. Chances are your family is at least middle class--the median income in Boulder County is significantly higher than the U.S. average. That means your parents can afford to shop at the many health-food stores in the city, where the organic chain Whole Foods moved its regional headquarters last year. Nearly every aspect of your environment is pushing you toward maintaining a healthy weight."
Read on to learn about the food environment in the Pico Union neighborhood of Los Angeles through the eyes of UEPI's Healthy School Food Coalition Organizer, Elizabeth Medrano, as well as what community-based organizations and policy makers are doing to address the problem.
Learn more about UEPI's work to improve food environments for children and families: Healthy School Food Coalition and Project CAFE (Community Action on Food Environments)
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