Macias, Mena, Torres 1

Erica Macias, Leslie Mena, Carolina Torres

Professor Augustine
English 113B
March 30, 2015
Health for Lower Income Communities
Food deserts have expanded through cities where lower income families are now
seen. People with lower income have higher health problems than those with higher
income because of the lack of proper nutrients around their community. We see more fast
food chain being placed in poor areas such as McDonalds, Burger King, and Taco Bell.
These corporations know that their company will survive in these lower income
communities because they provide affordable prices for their consumers. For example
last week we visited the Topanga mall where the community is known for having a higher
income. As we observed the food court we noticed that most restaurants that were there
are not seen in those areas of lower income. However, they did have a few fast food
restaurants for those who wanted a fast and cheap meal. Although food is a necessity to
everyones life, not every one can afford the healthier products due to his or her social
class and we believe that that everyone should have access to healthier foods.
In our own experience we live in a community where we see fast foods open up
faster than super markets with organic foods. We believe thats because of the majority
income that the community makes. Not only do we see fast foods, but we also see
shopping centers that contain smaller gorges stores, cheap fashion stores, liquor stores,
and pay phone services. For example you are more likely to see a Metro PCS store than

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per say a Verizon store. Why is that? Well it makes perfect sense because depending on
the income in the community that is what influences the types of stores they would be. It
is more likely that people in lower income communities will be able to afford a phone or
a plan from Metro PCS than one from Verizon. Same goes with restaurant and markets.
Though the communitys are getting good deals from all the low coast stores and
restaurants this has an affect on their health because they do not have the right resources
to help them maintain a healthy life style.
Over the years food deserts have had a huge impact on lower income
communities and that has had an affect on peoples health. In Kelly Brooks article
Racial Food Deserts she explains that race place a role in the like of healthy food
resources around them. She illustrates that neighborhoods that contain Hispanics and
African Americas had similarities in the fact that they both have a lack in healthy
resources. She explains by stating that those neighborhoods are bursting with junk-food
options, smaller establishments rarely offer healthy whole-grain foods, fresh fruits and
veggies that a supermarket would provide (Brooks, 19). She explains that not only does
the type of community one lives in matters but also the racial group in that community
has an affect as well. For example, in Hispanic neighborhoods one is more like to see less
gorges stores and more Mexican food trucks. Brooks states that even if those people in
those lower income neighborhoods try to make healthier choices, their circumstances
made it very difficult for them to do so (Brooks, 19). Those living in these affected areas
are limited to the healthy choices they can get. However, even if they have few
restaurants like subway, quiznos, and soup plantation that does not get them very far.

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They have to have gorges stores that provide healthy food or even food markets that sell
organic foods and vegetables. These lower income communities are the ones most affect
by the food industry and they need healthier food choices to have a healthy life style.
When driving through a nice neighborhood you cannot help but notice that there
arent as many fast food restaurants as there are in poor communities. More fast food
restaurants are seen in low-income areas, just as organic markets are seen more in higher
income communities. Business owner know that fast food places will be more successful
in lower income areas because they know they are willing to buy a small price in a whole
meal than they would a high price in a healthy one. In the article, Fast-Food
Consumption, Diet Quality, and Neighborhood Exposure to Fast Food by Latetia Moore
and her colleagues, they explained the strategies it took for fast foods to gain success and
how it has effected lower income communities. They said, Recent studies have indicated
that fast-food places tend to be concentrated around lower-income areas and
predominantly minority neighborhoods (Moore, 1). The owner of the restaurants know
exactly where their business succeed most and rather not waste their time and money
building a fast food restaurant where they are more likely to fail. But the more fast foods
they build the worse that health gets in those areas. Health diseases have a higher rate in
lower incomes than in wealthy. People with a higher income get the chance to go to
organic markets and probably have one down the street from their house as for people
with lower incomes have to drive at least 20 to 30 minutes to get to the nearest organic
store. Even though they may have regular markets near them, an organic market is better
when trying to stay healthy. In the article, Moore said, Fast food consumption has been

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linked to weight gain, poorer dietary indicators, insulin resistance, and obesity in adults
(Moore, 1). If they were exposed to a healthier food option, not as many people would be
getting sick. That is why we see that health problems like diabetes and obesity twice as
higher in poor urban communities than in wealthier communities.
The lack of proper nutrients in poor areas has expanded over time. All you see
when you drive by poor neighborhoods is McDonald's, Tacobell, Jack in the Box etc.
Farmer markets are now being brought to many low-income areas. Yes you might say that
progress is happening in poor neighborhoods because of these farmer markets but how
useful are they? It may be true but what kind of organic products are they bringing out
and how many people that are low income actually show up? For example, we have been
to the farmers market in Northridge and what weve seen from our experience is that
most of the people go there for all the food and entertainment. The food that they go for is
mostly the deserts and snacks not usually the organics. Most of the organics that are sold
in farmer markets are usually seasonal so they tend to be pricey. Northridge is not seen
as an area of lower income but even with that people dont go for the organics because
theyre still too pricey and theres not a big variety of the foods you can get. If most of
the people who are not low income cant afford these organic items how do we expect the
lower income to be able to purchase these foods? With the organics being sold at the
markets we feel they should cut out most of the junk food sold there because that
overpowers that there is even healthy food being sold because people of course will go
for whats cheaper. Although this is a step to bettering food in these areas bigger steps
than just a farmers market need to be brought.

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All things considered, having healthy food option should still be given to
people in lower incomes and should be offered to them in a way that they can afford it.
Without these healthy food options people in low-income communities are getting sicker
each year. These neighborhoods lack the ability of getting healthy food because they are
surrounded by fast foods on every block. These may also be known as a food desert. Fast
foods are more accessible because its the quickest and easiest thing they can afford.
From experience we have seen that in our neighborhoods we arent able to find a healthy
organic market unless its at least 20 minutes away. That is why we believe that everyone
should be equally exposed to healthy foods at an affordable price and close distance.

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Work Cited
Brooks, Kelly. Racial Food Deserts. John Hopkins Magazine 66.1 (2014) 19-20. Print.
Moore, Latetia V, Ana V Diez Roux, Jennifer A Nettleton, David R Jacobs, and Manuel
Franco. "Fast-Food Consumption, Diet Quality, and Neighborhood Exposure to
Fast Food."American Journal of Epidemiology, 170.1 (2009): 29-36.