Canisius College
Description of Community
One of the communities that have the greatest barriers to proper nutrition and weight status is the inner-city. Frequently, city dwellers do not have access to nutritious food that allows them to maintain a healthy weight. Many urban neighborhoods are “food deserts” where the nutritional needs of the community are served by small shops and bodegas. These tiny shops do not have the space or resources to stock large supplies of fresh fruits and vegetables. Sadly, with most Americans today battling obesity and over weight problems many do not even have the opportunity to make healthy choices. This is particularly true of the inner city Hispanic communities, which experiences one of the highest rates of obesity and related illness. One option to help provide fresh healthy vegetables to inner city markets is to arrange for farmers’ markets on a regular basis. Many churches, organizations, and communities have profited by this interchange which helps by providing healthy food as well as educating people in how to make better choices.
Proposed Assessment of Need
Most cities have food pantries that operate a few days each week out of churches and community centers. These food pantries would be a great starting point for any nutritional program. They are engaged in maintaining healthy food for individuals and families most at risk. Another group of community assets that may be able to provide information is the local health clinics. Overweight and obesity is a problem for over sixty percent of Americans today and the local clinics are already engaged in fighting this trend. . In addition to having information on obesity trends they are also aware of related illnesses such as; heart disease, high blood pressure, poor lipid profiles, type 2 diabetes, oral disease, constipation, diverticular disease, and some cancers. They are also able to educate their patients and teach them that a high calorie nutrient poor diet can also result in health problems such as malnutrition, iron deficiency anemia and osteoporosis. These conditions occur in individuals who eat too much of the wrong foods, and ever though they are overweight they still are not receiving all the nutrition they need. Often the lack of nutrition contributes to the weight gain cycle when the body reacts by sending signals to eat more and the individual continues to make poor nutritional choices.
Another opportunity for establishing a farmer’s market at or near a public school. It is a long established fact that overweight children grow up to be overweight adults. Public schools can address nutrition and weight problems on many levels. In the classrooms, they can educate children about dietary needs and how they relate to the human body, by structuring classes to include biology, metabolism, diet and nutrition. They can offer classes on how to purchase and prepare healthy food. A farmer’s market that opens on a weekly basis nearby would provide the opportunity for students to go on field trips to the market, as well as for parents to shop at the market when they interact with the school regarding their children.
Proposed Program
Community centers offering physical education and exercise classes that help urban residents maintain a healthy weight status provide another resource to evaluate need as well as provide a space for the markets themselves. Establishing a farmers’ market in cooperation with a community center, school, health clinic or other neighborhood hub would provide an opportunity to monitor the process. Tracking the efficacy of new and innovative policies and interventions to support diet and physical activities presents its own set of problems. Many people find themselves caught up in a “yo yo” pattern of weight loss and gain. An effective policy must help people sustain a healthy weight and diet. Losing weight and improving physical condition are only the first steps. Maintaining a healthy weight and activity is the goal. To determine the success of a particular program the participants must be tracked over a period of time to be sure that the intervention was truly successful. Engaging the community in an effort to not only begin a healthy diet but also support each other in their efforts is not only an integral part of such a program but also a way of monitoring its success. Farmer’s Markets are a proven first step to making healthy choices available. Miami and the surrounding communities have established, successful markets that even encourage SNAP/food stamp users to purchase by offer discounts to them.
References
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