Hungry for Spare Change?

There have been many recent wonderful programs and initiatives to change the way they eat. But often, those who are from the underrepresented communities – minorities and the poor – do not have a voice in these arenas. Yet these are the very communities that have limited access, availability or awareness of the industrial food industry or where/how to find more affordable healthy alternatives to the inexpensive “burger” composed of unknown multiple cows from a feedlot.

These are often the very communities that are disproportionately affected by the unhealthy and potentially deadly consequences of an unhealthy food system. Low-income urban areas especially often have limited access to health fresh food and physical exercise. Studies show: African-American and Mexican-American children have exceeded Caucasian children in obesity rates as much as 12%. While about 15% of Caucasian boys were considered obese between 1999 and 2002, 19% of African-American boys were and almost 25% of Mexican American boys were. For girls, these numbers were 13%, 24% and 20%, respectively.

Obesity rates for low-income children are also far greater regardless of ethnicity, and statistics show that this gap is increasing. In Colorado, a study found that 25% of children from low-income households were obese, compared with 8% of children from more affluent households. But when a $3 fast food menu can feed a family, the 1,000 calorie meal with a day’s worth of fat with no fruit or vegetables is not a deterrent. One must eat.

Statistics show that the rate of childhood obesity rate has more than doubled for preschool children aged 2-5 years and 12-19 years in the last three decades. For those children 6-11, this rate has tripled. Approximately, 9 million children (6 and up) are considered obese. That is 16% of children.

We know the long-term implications about childhood obesity. According to the Healthy Eating Guide, an estimated that 1 in 3 children born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes at some point in their lifetime. They have higher risks of asthma, sleep apnea, bone problems, gastro-intestinal diseases, early puberty, and psychology problems. This will affect the healthcare system, the Earth…the list goes on and on.

What can we do about this? One movie you MUST watch about the current industrial food system to give you some ideas. I missed it in the theaters and finally got it on DVD: the much-acclaimed Food Inc.

Many of you have seen it. If you haven’t, SEE THIS MOVIE. I knew I wanted to see it but since I am already a Michael Pollan and Polyface Farms fan (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, I URGE you again to read this book

(there’s a young reader’s version) AND watch this movie), I didn’t think it was as urgent that I see this movie. I was wrong. I am glad I saw it and I recommend you watch it as soon as possible.

There have been many reviews about it and the movie’s site has great information on how to support healthy foods and a much-needed change in our current industrial food system.

Rather than summarize the movie or talk about how we all need to really know where our food comes from here (the movie was a vivid reminder of why this is so important), however, I’m going to focus on something that I realized as I watching this movie.

There were only two stories that reflected people of color in the movie.

In the first example, it was about a family who know fast food is unhealthy but cannot afford the healthier options. In the second example, it was about illegal migrant workers working in industrial feedlots.

Is the issue of eating organic/healthy divided along a color line? A class line?

There have been numerous local and regional programs to address this issue within low-income and minority communities, from The Food Project in Boston to SEEDS in Durham. But more must be done. More attention must be given to those communities who have historically been overlooked. We cannot be so focused on debating local versus organic versus conventional that we forget that everyone should have a voice in these discussion and in the reform to make our food systems healthier and more accountable.

We are all hungry for change. We all have a voice.

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