This I Argue Essay
Hungry vs SNAP
Millions of Americans live in the middle of desert, a food desert that is. But instead of desolate lands with a little rainfall, food deserts are areas barren of nutritious food. Food deserts are rural or urban areas where access to foods like apples, broccoli, chicken breasts, and other fresh nutritious products is limited and finding these foods are difficult and time consuming. According to A Place at the Table, 50 million people in the U.S., one in four children, don’t know where their next meal is coming from, despite our having the means to provide nutritious, affordable food for all Americans. Although some people are trying to solve hunger problems of America, Americans in food insecurity have not been reducing. Therefore, we must think about it more to solve the problem as soon as possible, as many as possible. Although some people say Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is not a perfect solution, I think one of the best ways to solve the hungry problem can be SNAP.
Food desert can impact health and have particular relevance to American’s obesity epidemic. Some research show that a greater number of convenience stores in an area are linked to an increased risk for obesity while having better access to supermarkets decreases this risk. Food deserts are particularly prevalent in low income communities. A Place at the Table clearly shows a woman who is suffering with obesity. Tremonica is a second-grader whose asthma and health problems are exacerbated by the largely-empty calories her hard-working mother can afford. People living in low income, as well as predominately Black and Hispanic neighborhoods, have less access to supermarkets than those who reside in middle income or predominately white neighborhoods. However, fast food options are plentiful in these communities. The abundance of convenience stores, fast food restaurants, and junk food may make the term food swamp more appropriate for some of these areas. Additionally, people living in low income communities are subjected to more advertising of junk and fast foods as compared to more affluent neighborhoods. And a recent study suggests increased food marketing is linked to obesity. Whether dubbed desert or swamp, it is increasingly clear that where you live may in fact be a risk factor for poor health.
Many residents living in low income communities considered food deserts or swamps are enrolled in the SNAP. It is important to understand how SNAP, food deserts, food swamps, and obesity are interrelated. SNAP seeks to alleviate food insecurity and improve nutrition for its beneficiaries. Yet, SNAP's 47 million participants face numerous barriers to eating a nutritious diet, including insufficient benefit amounts and the high cost of healthy foods. Families on SNAP report a desire to eat healthfully, but there sometimes have to compromise nutrition and variety in their diets to ensure that they could provide enough food for the least expense.
Last year, a report entitled SNAP to Health issued by leading public health and nutrition experts, provided a comprehensive analysis of the nutrition of SNAP participants with recommendations about how to reduce food insecurity, improve nutrition, and address obesity for the program's beneficiaries. Many recent articles have underscored the opportunities provided by the proposals in this report with growing interest in redesigning SNAP to better emphasize nutrition, to improve the health of low-income communities, and to combat the obesity epidemic in the United States.
Considering the significant impact that food deserts and food swamps have on the nutrition of residents in low income communities, the SNAP to Health report provides a list of key recommendations to improve health and nutrition for people enrolled in this federal food assistance program. These recommendations include increasing access to healthy foods, establishing stronger food stocking standards for SNAP retailers, consideration of restricting the purchase of certain junk foods and beverages, and providing incentives to buy fruits and vegetables. Additionally, more grocery stores should be built in areas currently classified as food deserts. Retailers that accept SNAP benefits but stock junk foods must improve the quality and variety of the foods that are sold. SNAP vendors should be incentivized or even required to sell produce, milk, and other healthy foods. Some may argue that these changes would ultimately reduce the number of SNAP retailers in areas with already limited access and resources, but the success of other federal food assistance programs and local initiatives that adopt this strategy suggest this would not be the case.
In my opinion, food deserts are not avoidable problems right now because amount of people have been expanding in the world, and many foreigners come to America with many reasons. Thus, foods in America may not be enough in the future. As a matter of fact, some newspapers or films, such as A Place at the Table shows how hungry problems in the United States are serious and the importance of SNAP and feeding people in hungry problems so that many people can think about it and try to find solutions. SNAP can be the one which helps hungry and food deserts in America. Some think we must find a new ways to help them, which is important, but I think one of the ways to solve food insecurity or deserts is to improve SNAP systems.
Work Cited
A Place at the Table. Dir. Kristi Jacobson, Lori Silverbush. Participant Media, 2012. Film.
Millions of Americans live in the middle of desert, a food desert that is. But instead of desolate lands with a little rainfall, food deserts are areas barren of nutritious food. Food deserts are rural or urban areas where access to foods like apples, broccoli, chicken breasts, and other fresh nutritious products is limited and finding these foods are difficult and time consuming. According to A Place at the Table, 50 million people in the U.S., one in four children, don’t know where their next meal is coming from, despite our having the means to provide nutritious, affordable food for all Americans. Although some people are trying to solve hunger problems of America, Americans in food insecurity have not been reducing. Therefore, we must think about it more to solve the problem as soon as possible, as many as possible. Although some people say Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is not a perfect solution, I think one of the best ways to solve the hungry problem can be SNAP.
Food desert can impact health and have particular relevance to American’s obesity epidemic. Some research show that a greater number of convenience stores in an area are linked to an increased risk for obesity while having better access to supermarkets decreases this risk. Food deserts are particularly prevalent in low income communities. A Place at the Table clearly shows a woman who is suffering with obesity. Tremonica is a second-grader whose asthma and health problems are exacerbated by the largely-empty calories her hard-working mother can afford. People living in low income, as well as predominately Black and Hispanic neighborhoods, have less access to supermarkets than those who reside in middle income or predominately white neighborhoods. However, fast food options are plentiful in these communities. The abundance of convenience stores, fast food restaurants, and junk food may make the term food swamp more appropriate for some of these areas. Additionally, people living in low income communities are subjected to more advertising of junk and fast foods as compared to more affluent neighborhoods. And a recent study suggests increased food marketing is linked to obesity. Whether dubbed desert or swamp, it is increasingly clear that where you live may in fact be a risk factor for poor health.
Many residents living in low income communities considered food deserts or swamps are enrolled in the SNAP. It is important to understand how SNAP, food deserts, food swamps, and obesity are interrelated. SNAP seeks to alleviate food insecurity and improve nutrition for its beneficiaries. Yet, SNAP's 47 million participants face numerous barriers to eating a nutritious diet, including insufficient benefit amounts and the high cost of healthy foods. Families on SNAP report a desire to eat healthfully, but there sometimes have to compromise nutrition and variety in their diets to ensure that they could provide enough food for the least expense.
Last year, a report entitled SNAP to Health issued by leading public health and nutrition experts, provided a comprehensive analysis of the nutrition of SNAP participants with recommendations about how to reduce food insecurity, improve nutrition, and address obesity for the program's beneficiaries. Many recent articles have underscored the opportunities provided by the proposals in this report with growing interest in redesigning SNAP to better emphasize nutrition, to improve the health of low-income communities, and to combat the obesity epidemic in the United States.
Considering the significant impact that food deserts and food swamps have on the nutrition of residents in low income communities, the SNAP to Health report provides a list of key recommendations to improve health and nutrition for people enrolled in this federal food assistance program. These recommendations include increasing access to healthy foods, establishing stronger food stocking standards for SNAP retailers, consideration of restricting the purchase of certain junk foods and beverages, and providing incentives to buy fruits and vegetables. Additionally, more grocery stores should be built in areas currently classified as food deserts. Retailers that accept SNAP benefits but stock junk foods must improve the quality and variety of the foods that are sold. SNAP vendors should be incentivized or even required to sell produce, milk, and other healthy foods. Some may argue that these changes would ultimately reduce the number of SNAP retailers in areas with already limited access and resources, but the success of other federal food assistance programs and local initiatives that adopt this strategy suggest this would not be the case.
In my opinion, food deserts are not avoidable problems right now because amount of people have been expanding in the world, and many foreigners come to America with many reasons. Thus, foods in America may not be enough in the future. As a matter of fact, some newspapers or films, such as A Place at the Table shows how hungry problems in the United States are serious and the importance of SNAP and feeding people in hungry problems so that many people can think about it and try to find solutions. SNAP can be the one which helps hungry and food deserts in America. Some think we must find a new ways to help them, which is important, but I think one of the ways to solve food insecurity or deserts is to improve SNAP systems.
Work Cited
A Place at the Table. Dir. Kristi Jacobson, Lori Silverbush. Participant Media, 2012. Film.