Can We Afford to Eat Healthy?

Walking through Omaha’s Farmers Markets this summer and seeing the mountains of fresh produce,  it is hard to imagine that many in our community do not have enough healthy food to eat. Lack of  access to healthy food – specifically in so-called food deserts – and lack of food education have been  blamed for epidemic levels of obesity and type II diabetes.  Although access to fresh produce is limited  for many, the larger problem is financial. The latest federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that Americans consume more  potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin D, and calcium.  But these nutrients do not come cheap.   A recent University of Washington study found that to get enough potassium, an average family  would have to increase its annual food budget by $380. While $380 may be added to the grocery bills of some in our community without consequence,  there are many in Omaha whose budgets do not have this flexibility.   Ten percent of Douglas County families buy food using food stamps provided by the  federal Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).  The average benefit for SNAP participants  is $1 per meal per person. According to the August Consumer Price Index Summary, grocery prices have  increased 5.6 percent over the last twelve months. With food prices already soaring, following the federal  dietary guidelines (finding an additional $380) is simply not possible. Focusing too much on the statistics can overshadow the human element of this issue.   The point is that  many in our community do not have enough healthy food to eat not because they don’t want it, but because they cannot afford it.  No matter how much education you’ve received about proper nutrition and creating healthy menus, if you have only one dollar per meal, you’ll end up eating off the dollar menu.   The consequences are shocking: this generation of children could be the first in the history of our country  to have a shorter average life span than their parents, specifically because of a lack of healthy food. Job creation or other economic improvement alone will not solve these problems.  (A family of four can  earn up to $2,389 per month and qualify for food stamps.)  Families have to make tough choices that  often prevent them from purchasing nutritious food.  Parents skip meals so kids can eat.  Fast food is  cheaper and easier than home-cooked meals.  Families decide to fill up the car, buy medication, or pay  the electric bill instead of buying healthy food.  The consequences of skimping on food are not as immediately  apparent as the car running out of gas.  Obesity, diabetes, delayed cognitive development, low birth weight,  and depression are among the myriad problems that can be caused by not having enough food to eat.    It is time to reconsider governmental food policy and find ways to let all Americans have the ability to purchase enough healthy food for their families.  It is time to reconsider governmental food policy and find ways to let all Americans have the ability  to purchase enough healthy food for their families.