Healthy Diet on Low Income, Essay Example

Introduction

The achievement of proper nutrition throughout the life span requires an examination of key principles and perspectives that impact health and wellbeing. It is necessary for individuals from all age groups to address nutritional needs on a continuous basis and to recognize the importance of healthy foods as part of the daily diet. However, this is not always easily achieved, particularly when individuals and families within lower income populations struggle to make ends meet. It is very difficult for many families and communities to survive from a nutritional perspective, thereby creating an environment in which their nutritional needs are sorely lacking and remain unmet. It is of critical importance for individuals who lack proper nutritional sustenance, support, and guidance to seek assistance in meeting these needs and in determining what steps are required to have a positive and lasting impact on overall health.

The knowledge, experience, and guidance of professionals across a variety of areas is necessary in order to effectively adapt to the circumstances that are evident in many communities with respect to low income children and adults. It is expected that proper nutritional guidance will engage individuals and enable them to make positive decisions regarding their health that will have lasting implications. The following discussion will address the role of nutrition in lower income households in greater detail and will emphasize current nutritional needs, along with other challenges that many individuals within these groups face that may limit their quality of life over time. Furthermore, nutritional needs for lower income individuals will be addressed in order to establish basic guidelines to improve nutrition and successful health throughout the life span.

Body

Nutrition among lower income children and adults is often sorely lacking due to limited funds and knowledge regarding the needs and expectations of this population. Furthermore, it is often the case that limited food supply may contribute to increased food security and overall limitations that impact wellbeing in a negative manner (Leung et.al 622). In some cases, lack of food security is also associated with poor mental health among lower income adults; therefore, the reduction of adverse outcomes is critical for this group (Leung et.al 622). It is important for lower income individuals to obtain guidance and support with respect to nutrition as a means of improving healthier perspectives and habits.

Prior research indicates that “Household [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] SNAP participation was positively associated with BMI, waist circumference, and metabolic risk factors among low-income adults. These associations may be mediated by dietary intake and warrant further investigation” (Leung et.al 17). Under these conditions, therefore, it is important to address the nutritional value of the foods that are typically consumed under the SNAP program, such as meats, excess sugars, and processed foods. There must be a greater emphasis on improving nutrition through food plans and access to foods that are healthier to eat, such as fruits and vegetables. Food that is available through the SNAP program may often be considered as unhealthy because it does not provide any real nutritional value to individuals and may be attributed to increased weight circumference, reduced metabolic activity, and obesity, among other factors (Leung et.al 17).

Low-income individuals who have also been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes require further investigation, as they often possess low food security and make poor dietary choices (Seligman et.al 233). For many individuals within this group, lack of food security holds significant value in the risk and development of type 2 diabetes, along with other factors that impact the ability to achieve a healthy diet and positive health outcomes (Seligman et.al 233). As a result, it is often necessary to address glycemic control among low-income type 2 diabetics as a critical priority and to recognize the value of nutritional education and access to healthier foods for this population to improve their dietary habits and general health outcomes, including their access to foods and level of food security (Seligman et.al 233).

Low-income individuals and families with limited resources require proper nutrition as part of the daily routine, and this is best achieved by acquiring education regarding the availability of low-cost yet healthier alternatives that stretch the budget over a longer period of time (Rose). For example, foods such as beans, eggs, and tuna are relatively low in cost and provide excellent nutritional value, along with milk, cheese, whole oats, brown rice, kale, apples, bananas, and frozen vegetables (Rose). These options provide nutritional support to individuals and enable them to consume healthier foods and achieve healthier lifestyles. One of the critical factors in achieving a healthy diet on a low income is to use available dollars wisely by planning meals in order to make food options last for as long as possible (Rose). This will encourage individuals to recognize the importance of stretching the dollar by purchasing foods with a desirable and healthy impact on wellbeing.

Although prior research indicates that it is possible to lead a healthy lifestyle on a low income, it is often difficult to achieve this objective when food products are often prohibitively expensive. One option to consider as introduced by Drewnowski & Eichelsdoerfer is the Thrifty Food Plan (FTP), whereby low-cost alternatives are identified to utilize food resources as efficiently as possible (246). In addition, it is known that “SNAP benefits are supposed to provide low-income families with sufficient food purchasing power to obtain a nutritious diet. However, good nutrition does go beyond mere survival and should include taste, convenience, and variety and be consistent with societal norms. Some suggestions on how low income families can improve their diets have lost track of these basic facts. Low-income families face a bad situation, which is worsening in the present economic climate” (Drewnowski & Eichelsdoerfer 246). Under these conditions, it is inevitable that there must be a continuous emphasis on the development of lower-cost food purchases that also possess sufficient nutritional value, are appealing to the eye, and are also tasty to the palate (Drewnowski & Eichelsdoerfer 246). This requires a delicate balancing act that is difficult for many low-income individuals and families to maintain, thereby creating an environment in which it is difficult to improve nutrition at this level.

The process of developing a framework to address low-cost nutrition for low-income families requires an examination of the different principles which impact this lifestyle and how to best address the challenges of meeting healthier outcomes through nutrition. The lack of healthy food products is largely evident in many households; therefore, it is important to identify these limitations and to recognize that budgetary constraints leave many individuals and families using their limited funds for other purposes, thereby neglecting their own nutrition on a continuous basis (Golan et.al). Furthermore, the choices that are often made with respect to nutrition may lead to less than desirable health outcomes and a greater prevalence of disease risk (Golan et.al). It is important for low-income individuals and families to identify healthier options for a limited budget and to be cognizant of the nutritional value of the foods that are purchased and consumed on a regular basis (Golan et.al). This will demonstrate the value of achieving greater health and wellbeing when food products are of the healthier variety versus those that do not have any real nutritional value. This process requires a strong learning curve and the ability to recognize that low-cost foods does not always signify unhealthy and that there are a number of options available that will likely have lasting benefits for patients (Golan et.al).

In a general context, it is believed that “food costs could be measured in terms of any of the needs consumers are trying to fill by purchasing particular foods. Sometimes their choices are made to fill caloric needs, sometimes to fill nutritional needs. But taste and convenience have to be satisfied, too” (Golan et.al). From this perspective, it is likely that there will continue to be difficult challenges in aiming to balance available financial resources with the desire to purchase healthy foods for consumption. Therefore, the adoption of healthier and more nutritious lifestyles requires some low-income individuals to retrain their perspectives regarding food and to recognize that in spite of limited incomes, they possess many options to purchase foods that have high nutritional value (Golan et.al). This process is ongoing and requires an important examination of the different perspectives that influence the response to nutrition that typically occurs, versus the desired response. This process is essential in discovering how to shift perceptions regarding dietary restrictions on a low income and to improve nutrition in spite of these constraints.

The choices that individuals and families make regarding food and nutrition are often a reflection or product of their surrounding environment; therefore, this requires an evaluation of different perspectives that enable these persons to make changes regarding how they consume foods and to recognize their nutritional options. Therefore, nutritional support is necessary to achieve this process and in determining what options are available that support positive nutritional outcomes. It is believed that there must be a greater emphasis on the nutritional value of specific food products and that they are affordable and are able to be consumed in low-income households. There must be a greater emphasis by nutritionists and other healthcare providers regarding the consumption of nutritional foods that are acquired with a lower income. This reflects a shift in priorities and thought regarding the benefits of nutrition in supporting positive health and wellbeing for adults and children. An effective strategy will encourage those from lower income groups to recognize that proper nutrition is not out of their reach and that it is possible to achieve improved nutrition with the knowledge that is available. This may empower individuals to seek new alternatives to their current food consumption in order to improve their nutrition and overall health in the process.

Conclusion

Low-income children and adults do not always possess the education and knowledge that is required to make informed decisions regarding positive nutrition, due in large part from a lack of access to healthy foods. Therefore, they must be provided with the tools and resources that are required to ensure that their nutritional needs are met and that the consumption of healthier foods is achieved. A greater focus on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is critical, along with a reduction of processed foods, artificial sugars, and fatty meats. An effective balance must be achieved that will positively impact low-income children and adults and promote healthier lifestyles and increased disease prevention. These factors are likely to positively influence how individuals behave with respect to food security and how they are able to learn about healthier eating for life. It is believed that low-income individuals who have greater access to healthier foods and nutritional education will likely take advantage of these options to improve general health and wellbeing.

Works Cited

Drewnowski, Adam, & Petra Eichelsdoerfer. “Can low-income Americans afford a healthy diet?”Nutrition Today 44.6(2011): 246-249.

Golan, Elise, Hayden Stewart, Fred Kuchler, & Diansheng Dong. “Can low-income Americans afford a healthy diet?” United States Department of Agriculture 14 July 2015: http://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2008-november/can-low-income-americans-afford-a-healthy-diet.aspx#.VaXapvlViko

Leung, Cindy W., et al. “Household Food Insecurity Is Positively Associated with Depression among Low-Income Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participants and Income-Eligible Nonparticipants.” The Journal of nutrition 145.3 (2015): 622-627.

Leung, Cindy W., Walter C. Willett, and Eric L. Ding. “Low-income Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participation is related to adiposity and metabolic risk factors.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 95.1 (2012): 17-24.

Rose, Gianna. “Nutritious meals on a low income.” SFGate, 14 July 2015: http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/nutritious-meals-low-income-4788.html

Seligman, Hilary K., et al. “Food insecurity and glycemic control among low-income patients with type 2 diabetes.” Diabetes Care 35.2 (2012): 233-238.