A research assistant at the UT Health Science Center sent us this short article and asked us to share it. Food is great example of something many of us take for granted -- and we may take it for granted that those in an urban setting have access to plenty of healthy food. As pointed out in the article below, however, there are no grocery stores in 38126 - and more than half the community's residents don't have a car. It's not hard to see how our neighbors often end up eating unhealthy food from corner stores and fast food restaurants. For more information on the concept of an urban food "desert," check out this Wikipedia article.
Here's the article, as written by UT's CHEER Program(Consortium for Health Education, Economic Empowerment and Research):
Many people in Memphis do not have access to fresh foods. It can be very hard for people without cars to get to fresh food. People with health conditions may also have a harder time getting food.
CHEER examined 38126. There are no grocery stores in this zip code. A healthy food environment is needed for people to make good food choices. Bad eating habits often result in poor health. For example, areas with access to fresh foods have lower obesity rates. Here are some tips if you live far from a grocery store or want to eat healthier:
1. Drink water instead of soda.
2. Eat high-protein, low-fat foods like eggs, tuna, beans, and chicken.
3. Buy frozen vegetables. They are faster to prepare and cheaper.
4. Cook healthy meals in bulk.
5. Visit farmer’s markets. Many of the foods are cheaper because they are local and seasonal.
6. Start a garden. A pack of fruit or vegetable seeds is usually less than a dollar.
7. Avoid junk food. Chips and candy are nutritionally poor.
CONTACT INFORMATION
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
CHEER (Consortium for Health Education, Economic Empowerment and Research)
66 N. Pauline Avenue, Suite 307
Memphis, TN 38105
Phone: 901-448-1985
Fax: 901-448-1991
www.uthsc.edu/CHEER
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