The Food Environment, Research Paper Example

The Connections between the Food Environment and Obesity

The rates of obesity around the world, especially in developed countries, are growing at alarming rates. The impact of obesity on overall health is becoming increasingly clear and well-documented every year. Obesity is associated with heath issues and disease such as heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. As obesity rates climb, so too do the social and even economic consequences; health care systems in Canada, the United States, and the UK are all under extreme pressure as the public health issues related to obesity continue to mount. In response to the issues and challenges, critics have charged that the food industry is contributing to the obesity epidemic, and must take responsibility for helping to alleviate the situation. Voices from within the food industry counter that obesity is a matter of personal responsibility and that restaurants, grocery stores, and other outlets within the industry are merely providing choices and options to the public. As the toll from the obesity epidemic continues to mount, however, ti appears likely that the food industry will face growing pressure to adopt new approaches to help minimize its contribution to the problem.

While the United States may be hardest hit by the obesity epidemic, Canada, the UK, and Western Europe are all wrestling with the same issue. According to a story from U.S. News and World Report in 2013, the “self-reported adult obesity rates in Canada have increased from 22.3 percent to 25.3 percent” between 2003 and 2011 (Koebler, 2013). Similar figures were provided by the Canadian government for the period from 2007 to 2009, when the obesity rate rose to 24.1 percent by its account (stacan.gc.ca, 2014). Researchers have noted that the rates of obesity in Canada are highest in rural regions; Carol Gotay of the University of British Columbia asserts “some of the remote regions have a difficult time having access to healthy foods. The stuff that makes it across a long distance usually isn’t as fresh or healthy as it is in the cities” (Koebler, 2013). Gotay continues, “the causes are largely the same as in the U.S.- we’re seeing the same increase in consumption of sugary beverages and highly processed foods accompanied by less exercise” (Koebler, 2013). Though the underlying cause may be the same, the rates of obesity in Canada are still 10 percent or so lower than they are in the United States (stacan.gc.ca, 2014).

The issue Gotay raises –about how those in the remote regions of Canada have difficulty accessing healthy food- is part of the larger issue of what has been labeled the “food environment.” The food environment can be loosely described as the choices and options available to consumers in their local restaurants and grocery stores, though it also includes such issues as family context, social background, and other factors. While geography and distance may be one of the root problems in terms of Canada’s food environment-related issues, geographic distance is not the only reason that individuals or communities may not have access to healthy foods. As study  of the U.S. food environment found that socioeconomic factors play a significant role, as communities on the lower end of the socioeconomic scale may have limited or low-quality options in terms of restaurants, grocery stores, and other food outlets (Morland & Evenson, 2008).. Racial and ethnic factors have also been identified as correlative to food environment (Morland & Evenson, 2008). In short, poorer neighborhoods and communities of predominantly ethnic minorities often have limited access to healthy food choices.

The local food environment has been identified as having an effect both on diet and diet-related outcome (Morland & Evenson, 2008). Connections between higher body mass index (BMI) and shopping for groceries in “disadvantaged neighborhoods” (Morland & Evensom, 2008) have been found, further reinforcing the critical role that food environment plays in the ability for individuals to make healthy food choices. A 2008 study found significant correlations between higher proximity to large grocery stores and lower BMI rates; the same study also found similar correlations between lower proximity to fast food restaurants and lower BMI rates (Morland & Evensom, 2008). In sum, this study determined that proximity to healthy food choices aligns with better health, while proximity to unhealthy or less healthy food choices aligns with poorer health.

Studies such as this and others that have found strong links between the food industry and health-related issues have charged that the food industry must take responsibility for helping to alleviate the problem. Particular focus has been given to the fast food industry; restaurants in this sector typically serve food that is calories-dense, high in fats and carbohydrates, and often served in “super sized” portions. In the past several decades, fast food restaurants have opened all over the world, including in Asia and Eastern Europe, where they had not previously been found. Concurrent with the rise in growth of these restaurants, rising rates of obesity have also been seen. While obesity rates in China, Japan, and Eastern Europe have yet to reach the same heights as they have in the West, they have climbed precipitously in recent years (Edwards et al, 2005). Because of the clear links between the food industry (and this sector in particular) there have been increasing measures calling for accountability fro the industry.

Among the measures that have been legislated ion some parts of the world are demands that restaurants post or otherwise provide nutrition information about their offerings. This includes such information as calorie count, fat content, and carbohydrate content. Critics of the food industry –especially of fast food restaurants- assert that even these measures do it go far enough, and pressure on the industry to offer healthier alternatives to standard fare continues to mount. Despite such measures, however, fast food restaurants continue to engage in practices such as super-sizing and product bundling (where discounts are offered for purchasing several items at once, such as a sandwich, French fries, and a soda) (Edwards et al, 2005; Morland & Evenson, 2008).

Even those within the food industry acknowledge that there is a growing obesity problem; some even acknowledge the connection between the food industry and the climbing rates of obesity. Despite such acknowledgements, however, the food industry as a whole is not simply accepting every legislative measure that attempts to limit or restrict what it can offer or where it can offer it. A recent “10-point plan” was put forth in the UK that sought, among other things, to assess higher taxes on sugary drinks; limit the number of fast food restaurants that were open near schools and parks; and eliminate unhealthy food in hospitals (Quick, 2013). This measure was countered vociferously by Britain’s food industry representatives; a spokesperson for the industry countered that “unless the government makes combating obesity a personal responsibility, this strategy will not solve anything” (Quick, 2013). This spokesperson further asserts that the real problem lies in the “knowledge gap” among consumers about how to make healthy eating choices, claiming that “No new initiatives or food and drink taxes will work unless consumers understand their importance and why they are being introduced” (Quick, 2013). The food industry takes the position that the ultimate responsibility for obesity lies with individuals, and not with the food industry.

While there is certainly something to be said for personal responsibility and individual choice, the strong and clear connections between food environment, obesity, and health issues cannot be denied. At the same time, however, the answer to combating obesity will not be found simply in forcing restaurants to change their menus or close up shop. The larger social and economic factors that help to shape the food environment must also be addressed if obesity is to be effectively brought under control. It is not enough to eliminate poor options; consumers must have access to healthier options, and more importantly, must have access to the information needed to make healthy food choices.

References

Edwards, J. S., Engstr\”Om, K. & Hartwell, H. J. (2005). Overweight, obesity and the food service industry.Food Service Technology, 5 (2-4), pp. 85–94.

Koebler, J. (2013). Canadian obesity rates hit record levels – us news. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/02/27/canadian-obesity-rates-hit-record-levels [Accessed: 17 Feb 2014].

Morl & Evenson, K. R. (2009). Obesity prevalence and the local food environment. Health \& Place, 15 (2), pp. 491–495.

Quick, G. (2013). Obesity is not just food industry’s faul. Grocer, 236 (8094), p. 24(.

Statcan.gc.ca. (2013). Adult obesity prevalence in canada and the united states. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-625-x/2011001/article/11411-eng.htm [Accessed: 17 Feb 2014].