Assignment task: Respond to the following:
#1. I reside in a rural town approximately 30 minutes outside of San Antonio on a 4-acre property surrounded by farmland and livestock. While it may appear that we are far from fast food and convenience stores, the newly constructed McDonald's is only 4.5 miles away. Running through the center of town is highway 87 that is lined with residential property on one side and fast-food chains on the opposite side. The following establishments are located within walking distance of each other.
- Sonic McDonalds Burger King Texan Gas Station Double T BBQ Food Truck HEB
Out of the list above the only options that could be considered remotely healthy would be the Texan, the BBQ food truck, and HEB. These establishments serve vegetables as sides and offer foods that are not fried.
Policy's that involve the community and offer incentives to community members have the potential to drive change (Lovasi et al., 2018). To improve the micro-food environment in my town I would like to see local farmers sell their produce at a farmers' markets and inside the HEB. I would also encourage the local schools to purchase food locally that is supplied in the lunchroom. There could be curriculum changes that allow students to receive credit in the agricultural programs for helping grow food for the school. There is a greater supply of unhealthy food in the town that I live in creating a gap in healthy offerings. Involving the community in providing healthy options strengthens the community and puts money back into the hands of the community members.
The individual selected for this discussion is an active-duty Army medic. He is a 19-year-old male with no dependents who resides in the barracks on base. Although he is knowledgeable about nutritional value, his dining options are limited to the on-base chow hall or purchasing food off-base. This individual does not own a vehicle and must find nearby locations within walking distance. Many single active-duty personnel lack kitchen facilities in their barracks, restricting their ability to prepare home-cooked meals. His limited income limits him to the free meals provided at designated times at the chow hall. There have been instances where he has missed dinner due to the strict operating hours, leading him to buy inexpensive, prepackaged meals at the base convenience store. He expresses concern that there are insufficient healthy food options available for active duty personnel, and that the limited hours of the chow hall have negatively impacted his dietary choices. The alternative options often result in consuming low-quality foods, which can cause him to feel sluggish and experience persistent hunger shortly after eating.
Within the endocrinology department, we provide patient education tailored to scenarios like this. We assist patients in creating food journals that identify healthy, nearby food options, including their business hours. We also teach food journaling techniques and offer examples comparing nutrient-dense foods with higher-calorie, less nutritious options. For this individual, I would recommend reaching out to the USO on base to explore the possibility of providing gift cards he can use to purchase nutritious foods when he is unable to access the chow hall. Additionally, contacting local food pantries to arrange for on-base distribution services could improve access for personnel with transportation limitations. Need Assignment Help?
#2. The first commercial area near my home is located on Old Buckingham Road, considered the very small downtown area of Powhatan. This area includes several dining areas, including Maxi's, a market style eatery known for its fresh foods. There is also a Public House restaurant which serves American cuisine, and the County Seat, a restaurant offering home style meals. Additionally, a farmers market is held in town every Thursday, providing fresh fruits and vegetables. Another area mentioning is Anderson Highway in Powhatan which is more developed and offers a wide variety of options. This area includes Food Lion grocery store, numerous restaurants, several fast food establishments and two Sheetz gas stations within miles of each other. The food choices in this area offers both healthy and unhealthy options. The weekly farmers market provides access to nutritious whole food such as fruits, vegetables that will support a healthier diet. The fast food restaurants offer more processed foods high in calories, saturated fats, and sodium which will contribute to poor health outcomes if it is eaten frequently. Although some of these restaurants are less healthy options they can be balanced with more nutritious choices. Implementing zoning regulations can assist with limiting the concentration of fast food restaurants to reduce the convenience and availability of unhealthy food options. The idea had enormous appeal to policy makers as well as researchers. It suggested that city or state governments could promote health by using existing policy tools such a as zoning, construction, loans, or tax incentives (Lovasi et al., 2018). In addition to limiting the number of fast food outlets, policies have sought to improve the nutrition environment within food outlets often considered unhealthy, either by providing consumers with more nutritional information (Lovasi et al., 2018). We need to support our local farmers market. Consistent with a core assumption of research and advocacy on the food environment, we found that obesity was less common among people who lived near supermarkets and other healthy food outlets such as produce markets and natural food stores. The individual I assessed reported that they do not experience any issues with food access or food security. They also believe that others in the area likely don't face such challenges, due to the abundance of food options in there area. However, she acknowledged that many of these options are unhealthy. To promote healthier eating, her personal strategy is to shop at the grocery store and prepare healthier food at home.