It is almost a no-brainer that the poorest people would be the most malnourished. They would be the gauntest. They would be the hungriest. But except perhaps in Africa and Asia, this is not always the case. Poor people in any country where there are fast food restaurants, have now given a new meaning to malnutrition – obesity.
Poor in this case obviously does not only refer to lack of finances. It also includes ignorance -poor knowledge, which results in poor choices and poorer health. Access to cheap tobacco and alcohol products and lack of access to places where one might exercise only serve to compound the issue. So-called comfort food is only a mental source of comfort. Taken in sufficient quantities, it pumps up blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol; clogs the arteries and in effect makes one very uncomfortable – and that is putting it mildly.
A Reuters report earlier this week said that East Harlem in New York, one of the poorest communities in North America, had published a cookbook called The Go Green East Harlem Cookbook, with suggestions for healthy eating and living. According to Reuters, East Harlem has “some of the highest rates of obesity and diabetes” in the United States of America and it is believed that this is “directly related to its socioeconomic environment”. The community is also said to have more asthmatics than some developing countries. Hypertension was not mentioned in the article, but there would definitely also be a high incidence of this.
East Harlem is not the only community with these problems. Studies have found that many of North America’s inner cities have a predominance of less-than-healthy populations. East Harlem’s moves to improve the health of its residents have found resonance elsewhere. For example in Canada, 13 inner city areas have been identified in Toronto that need work.
There has been recognition here in Guyana that chronic, lifestyle diseases are taking a toll on the population. The Ministry of Health has already taken steps to address the problem. Initiatives such as ‘smoke-free zones’ in public buildings; prohibiting of aerated drinks in public hospitals; and the ‘million mile walk’ will serve to improve the health of citizens.
These must be followed up with health and nutrition talks in schools, at health centres, hospital waiting areas – wherever there is a captive audience. There has been a preponderance of HIV education – not that this is a bad thing, but it would be even better if some nutrition and general health issues were always included in such campaigns.
There should be greater promotion of physical education in schools year round and not just in October in time for schools athletics. There is a lack of safe public facilities for exercise and some that could be available are not, for want of maintenance. Perhaps the local government bodies under which this falls could work out an arrangement with private entities operating in the various communities or with individuals, which would see parks and grounds upgraded, maintained and used for the purpose for which they were initially set aside.
It is a fact that even if all this were in place, some people would still be prone to certain chronic diseases because of genetic factors. It is also a fact that changing people’s attitudes to food and exercise, which is sometimes also a cultural issue, is usually an uphill task.
Unfortunately, most people will not adjust their diet until they are so desperately ill that it becomes a matter of life and death.
However, this should not stop the thrust towards educating them about healthy choices, particularly starting with very young children, which could see a delay in the onset of these diseases and proper management of them when they do occur. The benefits of this would also be fewer deaths and less of a strain on the health services of the country.
