Getting People to Eat Better in Chicago’s Poorer Neighborhoods

Paper Info
Page count 5
Word count 1455
Read time 6 min
Topic Sociology
Type Research Paper
Language 🇺🇸 US

Introduction

Improper nutrition and the use of substandard products are the causes of high risks of occurrence and development of morbidity and complications, exposure to various infections, leading to the final unfavorable outcome – increased mortality. Today, this is one of the acute and pressing problems of the modern world, which has no national borders. For example, people living in impoverished areas and localities are a more vulnerable group of the population to the dangers associated with eating. Therefore, many people living in poorer neighborhoods of Chicago suffer from various health problems caused by improper and poor-quality nutrition, and this is one of the most acute problems in modern America.

The Importance of the Issue

The relevance and urgency of studying this issue are manifested in the following aspects. First of all, health is one of humans’ most important and basic values, and its maintenance is the main task of any person. Good health reasonably maintained and strengthened by a person ensures a long, active, and eventful life. Well-being is an invaluable property not only for an individual but also for the community. Such an element is the essential condition and guarantee of a full life and functioning in society. Health helps “subjects of social activity” to carry out and implement plans, successfully solve basic life tasks, and overcome difficulties and significant overloads. Secondly, the preservation and reproduction of health are directly dependent on the level of culture. Additionally, culture implies not only a certain system of knowledge about health but also appropriate behavior for its preservation and strengthening, based on moral principles. Consequently, the analysis of food consumed, ways of eating and factors affecting the quality of implementation of this process are one of the important goals in the healthy lifestyle formation of the state’s residents.

The Importance of Collecting Data and Creating a Geospatial Map

Geospatial data is any knowledge associated with certain places on the Earth’s surface or containing information about them. The geospatial analysis includes the collection, display, processing, and analysis of images and the use of a global positioning system, satellite images, and historical data. Geospatial data and information are very useful at all levels, from global to local. It can be used for many different cases, including monitoring, verification, and validation in several fields. In “Exploring the Earth,” researchers discover specific and interrelated components of the environment that directly or indirectly affect human norms and values. Thus, geographical data allows people to make a more accurate and complete conclusion for timely decision-making on a number of pressing issues (Behm et al., 2018). National governments and local authorities need information about the country, the environment, assets, people, and the country’s physical and social infrastructure. It is necessary for a healthy decision-making process based on data to promote economic development, entrepreneurial activity, transparency, or national security. Hence, geospatial information plays a huge role in providing vital elements and maintaining sustainable development, thereby improving people’s lives within the country and an individual state, in this case, Chicago.

Technology Useful for Understanding This Issue

The technology allows determining the level of public health and external factors that worsen the general condition of citizens. Hence, GIS has a fairly wide range of capabilities to create a spatial study of malnutrition or overeating and the adverse effects of eating unhealthy food among residents of poor neighborhoods of Chicago (Seal, 2018). For example, geospatial analytics does an excellent job of analyzing patterns and conventions and predicting the development of current problems and future trends in the field of public health (Greenough & Nelson, 2019). Moreover, with the necessary information built on geography, completely new and modern models of treatment, prevention, and ensuring the well-being of citizens are being developed (Behm et al., 2018). Therefore, indicators on the maps are essential for the qualitative and effective identification of needs, resources for people in Chicago, and constraints that prevent eradicating an evolving problem. An integrated approach to the problem with the help of certain technologies helps to delve into the essence of the issue, explore it from different sides and points of view and take the necessary measures.

Social and Economic Factors Connected with This Issue

Several social and economic factors influence the development of nutrition-related problems. Social factors that prevent Chicago residents from poor neighborhoods from eating properly include the following aspects. Differences in districts, lack of resources, finances, lack of minimum access to nutrients, and ignorance about a full diet are the key factors influencing food choices. Besides, buying habits, food culture, media, and social environment are also sources that influence a person’s choice of eatables (Marcone et al., 2020). On the contrary, the economic factors consist of an individual’s poverty and the state’s unfavorable situation, and the government’s unwillingness to take specific measures to eliminate the problem. Consequently, economic instability in the country or the level of income and expenses of individual families form consumer demand for the quality and quantity of certain foods (Besora-Moreno et al., 2020). For example, there is only a small proportion of stores in some areas of the state, but even some of them offer products at excessively inflated prices. Thus, not every resident can spend huge sums on purchasing products so important for the body when various semi-finished products and fast food will not “hit the budget” and satisfy basic human needs.

Qualitative Data about These Social and Economic Factors

It would be important to collect the following qualitative data on those mentioned earlier social and economic factors. First, it is necessary to clarify the number of cases and deaths from malnutrition or overeating, malnutrition, and lack of nutrients and vitamins obtained from “healthy foods.” Secondly, it is worth focusing on the well-being of citizens living in a certain area, their average income, and expenses, as well as determining the category of products that people from poor areas of Chicago most often choose. Thirdly, it is also essential to recognize and determine with the help of various modern technologies and materials the number of shops in a certain area and the cost of goods these stores offer.

Connection of the Personal Health Behavior with This Health Issue

As a rule, there is a specific relationship between a personal attitude to a healthy lifestyle and incorrect nutrition and food choices. Primarily, one should begin with the fact that the “personal attitude to health” or “health behaviour” measures people take, regardless of the actual or subjectively perceived state of health, strengthen, protect, or maintain health. Nutrition is one of the essential components of a healthy lifestyle that ensures the preservation of health. For example, young people who have developed healthy eating habits from an early age are more likely to keep them in adulthood, and they will have less risk of such chronic diseases. In addition, balanced and rational nutrition in childhood or adulthood can reduce the risk of various adverse consequences. Also, eating fruits and vegetables has a beneficial effect on many aspects of health.

For instance, in childhood, parents can influence the structure of food consumption by modeling eating habits, reinforcing positive habits, and maintaining discipline. Accordingly, as children grow up, they can use food selection as an element of the process of asserting their individuality. In addition, people often also experience the impact of large-scale marketing and advertising campaigns specifically aimed at them. For example, the advertising of carbonated drinks convinces potential consumers that they need to quench their thirst in a modern, pleasant and popular way. Thus, despite social and economic factors, a person may initially be inclined to choose unhealthy foods. This may be due to childhood habits or under the influence of the environment with which a person communicates, advertising, and the media.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a suboptimal diet is a leading risk factor leading to death and disability in the United States, Chicago, and worldwide. The study of problems related to the health of citizens and the food they eat is a crucial task of the US state and local authorities. The development of a healthy nation, the strengthening of immunity, and the body’s general state within the food selection and consumption framework ensure the strong state and the country’s stable position. Often, food choice is influenced by such social factors as environment, upbringing, level of education, and place of residence. At the same time, economic factors include the level of income and expenses of residents of a particular region and the general financial status of the state. Moreover, in identifying the main patterns of the problem and the factors influencing its development are technologies related to geospatial data and knowledge. This is a completely new, relevant, and meaningful way to make accurate and reliable results and take important steps to solve the issue.

References

Behm, D., Bryan, T., Lordemann, J., & Thomas, S. R. (2018). The past, present, and future of geospatial data use. Trajectory Magazine. Web.

Besora-Moreno, M., Llauradó, E., Tarro, L., & Solà, R. (2020). Social and economic factors and malnutrition or the risk of malnutrition in the elderly: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Nutrients, 12(3), p. 737. Web.

Greenough, P. G., & Nelson, E. L. (2019). Beyond mapping: A case for geospatial analytics in humanitarian health. Conflict and Health, 13(1), pp. 1-14. Web.

Marcone, M. F., Madan, P., & Grodzinski, B. (2020). An overview of the sociological and environmental factors influencing eating food behavior in Canada. Frontiers in Nutrition, 7(77), pp. 1-10. Web.

Seal, A. (2018). Mapping nutrition and health data in conflict-affected countries. The Lancet Global Health, 6(4), pp. e365-e366. Web.

Appendix

A recent geospatial map of a neighborhood in Chicago (2020)

Poverty in the United States Chicago
Fig. 1. Diegues, J. (2020). Poverty in the United States Chicago. ArcGIS StoryMaps. 

Cite this paper

Reference

EssaysInCollege. (2023, March 1). Getting People to Eat Better in Chicago’s Poorer Neighborhoods. Retrieved from https://essaysincollege.com/getting-people-to-eat-better-in-chicagos-poorer-neighborhoods/

Reference

EssaysInCollege. (2023, March 1). Getting People to Eat Better in Chicago’s Poorer Neighborhoods. https://essaysincollege.com/getting-people-to-eat-better-in-chicagos-poorer-neighborhoods/

Work Cited

"Getting People to Eat Better in Chicago’s Poorer Neighborhoods." EssaysInCollege, 1 Mar. 2023, essaysincollege.com/getting-people-to-eat-better-in-chicagos-poorer-neighborhoods/.

References

EssaysInCollege. (2023) 'Getting People to Eat Better in Chicago’s Poorer Neighborhoods'. 1 March.

References

EssaysInCollege. 2023. "Getting People to Eat Better in Chicago’s Poorer Neighborhoods." March 1, 2023. https://essaysincollege.com/getting-people-to-eat-better-in-chicagos-poorer-neighborhoods/.

1. EssaysInCollege. "Getting People to Eat Better in Chicago’s Poorer Neighborhoods." March 1, 2023. https://essaysincollege.com/getting-people-to-eat-better-in-chicagos-poorer-neighborhoods/.


Bibliography


EssaysInCollege. "Getting People to Eat Better in Chicago’s Poorer Neighborhoods." March 1, 2023. https://essaysincollege.com/getting-people-to-eat-better-in-chicagos-poorer-neighborhoods/.

References

EssaysInCollege. 2023. "Getting People to Eat Better in Chicago’s Poorer Neighborhoods." March 1, 2023. https://essaysincollege.com/getting-people-to-eat-better-in-chicagos-poorer-neighborhoods/.

1. EssaysInCollege. "Getting People to Eat Better in Chicago’s Poorer Neighborhoods." March 1, 2023. https://essaysincollege.com/getting-people-to-eat-better-in-chicagos-poorer-neighborhoods/.


Bibliography


EssaysInCollege. "Getting People to Eat Better in Chicago’s Poorer Neighborhoods." March 1, 2023. https://essaysincollege.com/getting-people-to-eat-better-in-chicagos-poorer-neighborhoods/.