Heathy Food Choices and the Inner City

By Richard

The New York Times recently did an article about city residents and the difficulty they were having in gaining access to healthy foods.The article was of interest to me because first, I am a New Yorker and secondly I lived in Harlem on 125th and Lexington for close to three years.

The article tried to make the case that mostly minority communities were affected by these inconveniences. The Times is correct that many impoverished neighborhoods in the city are flooded with stores that are anything but nutritious.

The entire area is scattered with scores of Chinese fast food and Bodega’s which for those who do not live in Manhattan are small quickie stores. The average Bodega has fruit and vegetables but for the most part, it is littered with cheap sweets and sodas. They make most of there money on school children who flood these stores after class is out.

Because of the popularity of these stores, there is no question that they contribute greatly to the obesity in the community especially when it comes to children. However despite the vast numbers of stores the notion that people do not have access to healthy food is false. On 125th and Lexington one will find very visibly Pathmark Groceries a relatively inexpensive supermarket with fresh vegetables and fruit.

In addition, it is only takes two bucks to take a simple subway train anywhere in the city to get any item. Most city children have an unlimited subway card and could use the card to pick up healthier foods for the family. Parental involvement and the lack thereof in the area of food consumption plays a much larger part . Many children in the inner city live with just one parent and in most cases the parent to struggles with unhealthy eating habits. In addition, the gentrification of these areas may ironically be the answer to the problem. As more and higher incomes move in these areas, it will attract stores like Whole Foods. As these urban economies change so will the variety they seek.

Richard is the founder of HipHopRepublican.com

Below is a report done by the New York Sun on the same issue.The Sun investigated a neighborhood the Times found critically lacking in grocery stores and finds...many grocery stores. See Whole Article