A rationale for the development of Home Is Where the Food Is: A nutrition education program geared toward minority populations in Chicago, IL.
In the United States, approximately 80 million people have some form of cardiovascular disease (Shaw et al., 2018). To put that number into perspective, roughly 1 in 3 adults is living with CVD. In 2010, “more than 200,000 hospitalizations in Illinois were due to diseases and disorders of the circulatory system which resulted in nearly $10 billion in hospital costs” (Illinois Department of Public Health, 2013). Hypertension is a highly prevalent risk factor for cardiovascular disease that affects an estimated 50 million people annually in the U.S. (Goldstein et al., 2008). Of these 50 million, African Americans experience higher rates of hypertension and hypertension-related cardiovascular and stroke mortality than their white counterparts (Goldstein et al., 2008). Similarly, “rates of blood pressure control are lower in minority populations, such as non-Hispanic blacks and Mexican Americans” (Goldstein et al., 2008, pg. 81). Along with being highly prevalent, care for those dealing with cardiovascular disease is also costly. The estimated direct cost of CVD care is $444 billion (Shaw et al., 2018). This figure is steadily rising, as the current cost for treatment accounts for nearly $1 of every $6 spent on health care (Shaw et al., 2018). While the healthcare industry is prepared to treat those with hypertension and CVD, due to healthcare disparities, minorities are often subjected to average or below-average care. A study conducted among clinicians discovered that some physicians “considered African American patients and those with a lower socioeconomic status less likely to be compliant with cardiac rehabilitation, less intelligent, and more likely to lack adequate social support” (Goldstein et al., 2008, pg. 82). These presumptions influence physicians’ behaviors and management.
Dietary causes of hypertension and CVD include increased consumption of sodium, saturated and trans-fats, and alcohol (Reddy & Katan, 2004). In food deserts, oftentimes the only food available is overly processed and consists of the ingredients mentioned above. Chicago, Illinois is known as one of the most segregated cities in the U.S., with most African Americans and the Latinx community residing on the city’s south and west sides – areas that correspond with what researchers have found to be Chicago’s food deserts (The Illinois Advisory Committees to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 2011). In Chicago alone, there are over 5,500 deaths resulting from heart disease and stroke – that is enough people to fill Chicago Theater 1.5 times (Chicago Department of Health, 2014). To make matters worse, 1 out of 3 of these deaths are among people younger than 65 (Chicago Department of Public Health, 2014). Without a nutrition intervention, many people in these communities will continue to eat unbalanced diets and develop hypertension and CVD at alarming rates.
Home Is Where the Food Is will provide minority populations living in food deserts resources to find and prepare fresh, whole foods. This nutrition education program will empower our audience to cook homemade meals and reduce their consumption of fast, processed foods. Also, Home Is Where the Food Is will encourage the state government to invest in these communities to make them healthier, happier places to live. Home Is Where the Food Is will implement a plan comprised of five P’s – plan, purchase, pickup, prepare, and promote. The program will map out all stores in a certain radius that sell fresh produce and/or healthful foods and put it into a document that will be disseminated to our target audience. We will also include balanced recipes that can be created quickly and on a tight budget. Home Is Where the Food Is will encourage our target demographic to plan where they intend to shop and what items they would like to purchase. A food desert is not only a geographical location lacking whole food options, but also a place where its inhabitants lack transportation to fresh food sources. Our program will also include a pickup option for those who are unable to drive back and forth from stores. Along with disseminating recipes, we will host free cooking classes for families interested in learning how to prepare new, healthy dishes. For those who are unable to participate in-person, the cooking demonstrations will also be available online. Finally, Home Is Where the Food Is will promote the need for health food store inclusivity. Included in our literature will be a link to a petition to state legislators to encourage the building of grocery and specialty food stores in inner-city neighborhoods. Community organizers, local government officials, and neighborhood store owners would benefit from the implementation of Home Is Where the Food Is because it will encourage local communities to get healthier and reduce the overall cost associated with CVD.
This nutrition program will be successful because many people desire to eat well, but due to factors beyond their control are unable to find healthy food sources in their neighborhoods. A study conducted by Public Health Nutrition found that individuals who frequently cook dinner at home consume fewer calories, at home and at restaurants than those who cook less (Harvard Medical School, 2017). Also, people who cook regularly have diets with more diversity and include core food groups such as fruits, vegetables, and fish (Harvard Medical School, 2017). By providing resources and education, Home Is Where the Food Is aims to empower the families living in food deserts to make healthy, homemade meals to support healthy cardiovascular function.
References
Bhatt, J., Bocskay, K., Choucair, B., Hankinson, A., Holendoner, J., Laflamme, E., . . . Richardson, B. (2014). Healthy Chicago cardiovascular health plan (pp. 1-12) (United States, Public Health, Chicago Department of Public Health). Chicago, IL: Northwestern University Department of Preventative Medicine.
Goldstein, C. E., Hebert, P. L., Sisk, J. E., Mclaughlin, M. A., Horowitz, C. R., & Mcginn, T. G. (2007). Hypertension management in minority communities: A clinician survey. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 23(1), 81-86. doi:10.1007/s11606-007-0413-z
Harvard Health Publishing. (2017, February). Get cooking at home. Retrieved November 22, 2020, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/get-cooking-at-home
Reddy, K. S., & Katan, M. B. (2004). Diet, nutrition and the prevention of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Public Health Nutrition, 7(1a), 167-186. doi:10.1079/phn2003587
Shaw, L. J., Goyal, A., Mehta, C., Xie, J., Phillips, L., Kelkar, A., . . . Budoff, M. J. (2018). 10-Year resource utilization and costs for cardiovascular care. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 71(10), 1078-1089. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2017.12.064
The Illinois Advisory Committees to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. (2011). Food deserts in Chicago. State Advisory Committee Report, 1-42.
United States, Illinois Department of Public Health. (2013). The burden of cardiovascular disease in Illinois: Mortality, morbidity, and risk factors (pp. 1-38). State of Illinois.