Making Nutrition Accessible

Background

Food production is an extremely competitive industry within the United States. Companies are constantly trying to come out with the new craze that they can mass produce. Unfortunately, food production companies, as do most companies, have one thing in mind: money. To create a larger profit margin, this industry often turns to cheap materials that cost little and make the stock price significantly more than the production price. According to a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition Dietetics, “60% of foods purchased by Americans contain technical food additives, including coloring or flavoring agents, preservatives, and sweeteners. This represents a 10% increase since 2001” (eatrightpro.org). In Biology 101: Biological Principles I, we talked about the four macromolecules. Fueling your body with essential amino acids, healthy carbohydrates, and essential fatty acids is required for life. Using these cheap alternatives strips these vital molecules from our diets, which affects us physically, mentally, and emotionally. Brands will also advertise their foods as being filled with essential nutrients on the front of the packages, however, upon closer inspection consumers find there are significantly more negative aspects of the food. For example, leading granola bar brands frequently include the positive aspects of the bar, such as the whole grain content, on the front of the packaging. In contrast, upon further inspection, it contains ingredients such as canola oil, sunflower oil, and natural flavor (which could mean anything). Another tactic used is that the company will include the sugar content on the front because it is lower than other brands, however, when viewing the nutrition label, all those sugars are added sugars. Consuming added sugars can contribute to a plethora of health issues such as weight gain, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes (CDC). 

However, those who live on a tight budget or are impoverished are limited in their food choices as they don’t have the funding or resources to purchase better food options. For example, the picture provided shows areas in Lancaster that are low-income and have low access to healthy food. 

The importance of equity is highlighted in my first Key Insight, “Regulation for Equity,” where I highlight the importance of all groups being given their fair chance. Food deserts and low-income areas demonstrate the inequitable circumstances they are given as these people are not even being given the chance to improve and maintain their health. Nutrition is an essential component that needs to be considered in daily life. It can impact one's mood, physical well-being, mental health, and overall quality of life. Therefore, knowing how to obtain foods that make our bodies feel good is essential. Since knowledge and availability of truly nutritious foods are not as accessible in lower economic areas, I wish to start my focus on Lancaster, South Carolina. 

Recommendation

I recommend an in-person workshop should also be done in multiple locations across Lancaster to help improve education about foods so that everyone can access the information provided. These locations include public schools, churches, and the local YMCA on Hubbard Drive. There are a plethora of reasons for starting the project in these facilities. Attending public school is mandatory and hundreds to thousands of people attend, so a large group of people can be educated. Churches are open to everyone and are frequently utilized, especially in the South. As for the YMCA, that is a fitness center. Nutrition is an essential part of fitness, so there will likely be a high interest in the information provided.

Once the workshops are kickstarted, a website will also be developed for people to find healthy foods and nutritious alternatives in their local area. People can use this website to look up food items and view their harmful and beneficial ingredients, as well as find alternatives that are healthier options. This project is strongly related to my key insight “Adapt and Conquer.” Throughout my research concerning athletes, there was a constant need to adapt to their schedules and practices. Being that it was a voluntary study, no coercion or force can be used to make the athletes participate. This is similar to what people in Lancaster experience. Being that many people in Lancaster are of a lower socioeconomic status, they have low or no access to knowledge about healthy foods, without a way to improve their resources. As I had to adapt during the study, I wish to aid this community in adapting to their circumstances. The creation of this website will help improve the education and nutritional value of food products consumed. The nutrition workshop sessions and the website will help the community improve their health and nutrition using their limited resources. They can then adapt their eating behaviors based on the information provided, adopt better habitual food choices, and better fuel their bodies.

The workshops and website will be an effective contribution to the community. The information I put together for this community is easily accessible because they are offered in both an online and physical format. In addition, there is a large amount of false information on the internet about certain foods and their effects on the body. The information I will be providing will be from accredited sources such as the National Institutes of Health.

Goal

By implementing this project, it is my goal that the people in Lancaster, SC will have better education on foods better for them and have quick and easy access to better alternatives for an overall better quality of life. 

Implementation

For this project, local organizations need to be contacted to set up the educational workshop. This workshop will include a presentation, open-floor discussion, resources that the participants can take home, and a demonstration of how to use the website once it is published. Powerpoint or Google Slides can be utilized to create the presentation. A small wall projector should also be purchased in case the organization is unable to supply those materials. Supplemental material must also be prepared to pass out to workshop attendees. The website will be created in 3 phases:

Phase One: The website can be created using many free online options such as Google Sites, Wix, and Squarespace. A contact page containing my personal contact as well as the contact of the organizations we are working with will be provided. Once a website link is made, the navigation of the website will be developed. Then, a basic draft of the visual designs, logos, animations, and images will be created. The title page for the website will include a personal and functional purpose statement.

Phase Two: Multiple types of information must be collected before development. The local stores within Lancaster must be contacted to receive information about the food stock provided at that particular store. Members of the USCL Research Club and USCL Chemistry Club can aid in the process of collecting information on the foods and their effects. This can eventually be expanded to a professional research and analysis team.

Phase Three: This phase includes ensuring the function of the website, images, animations, and links. 

Advertising material will also need to be developed for both the workshop and the website. Automated emails will be designed for workshop attendees and website users to subscribe to. A weekly email will be sent out providing information on food’s effect on the body and other parts of health. They will also contain details for upcoming workshops. Eventually, a social media account will also be created to help spread healthy habits and the truth about certain foods.

Website Features:

• General information:

  • Purpose statement

  • Contact information

  • Educational workshop schedule

• Requirements:

  • Access to location

  • Confirmation of store and store location

  • Allergy Input section

• Features:

  • Manual search of food

  • Manual search of ingredient

  • Alert of bad ingredients within food

    • Can click on the ingredient name and read about its harmful effects

  • Multiple alternatives with similar nutrient values

    • Completely different item

    • Similar item

  • Price difference between foods

  • Food search history

    • List of foods

    • Statistics

    • Organized daily, weekly, and monthly

Evaluation

Multiple evaluations will be conducted to ensure the success of the workshops. At the end of the workshop participants will be asked about the participants’ enjoyment, the effectiveness of the presentation, their likeliness to use the website, their likeliness to apply changes to their diet, and if they felt there was too little or too much information. Attendance and participation will also be tracked. In addition, since we are housing our workshops in the facilities of organizations, success can be measured by the growth of partnerships. If they allow us to continue to hold workshops within their facilities, it can be determined that the program is believed to be effective and helpful. 

The website will track success in a similar manner. The website will prompt users with a pop-up survey inquiring about their level of satisfaction. Users will be asked about the app layout, its helpfulness, its attainability, and if there have been any improvements in their health/happiness. There will also be a pop-up inquiring about satisfaction with the alternative provided. The user will be able to select the alternative they intend to try. Then, after 24 hours, a notification will be sent to the user to find their satisfaction level. They will be provided with multiple options to indicate their satisfaction:

• Options:

  • Liked it

  • It was okay, but I wouldn’t get it again

  • I didn’t like it

  • I didn’t buy it

  • Item out of stock

  • Other: (insert description)

We will also track the number of people subscribed to the automated emails and visits to the website.

References

Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. “Get the Facts: Added Sugars.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28 Nov. 2021, www.cdc.gov/nutrition/data-statistics/added-sugars.html#:~:text=Americans%20are%20eating%20and%20drinking,including%20consuming%20fewer%20added%20sugars. 

Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Buyer Beware: 60% of Foods Purchased by Americans Contain Technical Food Additives - a 10% Increase Since 2001.” Eatrightpro.Org, 2023, www.eatrightpro.org/about-us/for-media/press-releases/60-percent-of-foods-purchased-by-americans-contain-technical-food-additives. 

Rhone, Alana. Food Access Research Atlas. 6 July 2023. Economic Research Service , U.S. Department of Agriculture, https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/go-to-the-atlas/. Accessed 3 Apr. 2024.