I recognize that health and healthy eating have many social determinants.
Every choice we make is based, in part, on societal factors, dis/advanatage,
peer group, consumerism--you name it. But in the end, it is us as individuals
who make decisions about our lives. We are agents who act in a manner to
improve our health or who choose "unhealthy" options. All the discussion about
determinants of health and resolving problems by focusing on "root issues"
needs to also address the role of individuals in promoting their own health.
What seems to be missing here is an understanding that individual agency does
not conflict with social determinants--both have an impact on the health of
populations. And action at both levels is necessary for true change.
Jacquie Poitras
--- Robb Travers <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > you said..........."While the
average welfare recipient may not have a ton
> of
> > money to throw around, they are still given some money and the choice
> between
> > buying nutritious food or fast food. Giving them more money does not
> remove
> > the choice. Part of our work is to instil the value of health in everyone
> so
> > that everyone, regardless of income or advantage, makes the healthiest
> choices
> > they can."
>
> Implicit in these words is a 'moral imperative' about what constitutes
> 'healthy eating' and the 'proper ways' in which one should spend their money
> (especially welfare recipients). So little is understood about the meaning
> of fast food in the lives of the poor, the links between consumerism, fast
> food and obesity, and the 'reasons' why poor people appear to make 'poor'
> decisions about food. We do know that middle-class people with stable,
> financial lives are better able to make 'good decisions' about food and
> nutrition, about smoking, and about all of those other 'lifestyle' factors
> that everyone in this field seems to believe accounts for good health. I
> quote....."instilling the value of health in everyone " is a moralistic
> statement that will accomplish little in improving the health of the poor.
> Indeed, there is an entire body of literature bantered around this listserv
> to prove otherwise.........why is it being ignored?
>
>
> Robb Travers, Ph.D (c)
> Research Associate,
> HIV/AIDS Social Research Group
> KTH 208, McMaster University,
> Hamilton, ON
> 905 977-7622
>
> Research Affiliate,
> HIV Social, Behavioural & Epidemiological Studies Unit,
> Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto,
> Toronto, ON
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
>
> From: "Jacquie Poitras" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: January 8, 2003 2:42 PM
> Subject: Re: community capcity for healthy eating
>
>
> > I think that is a very narrow point of view to take. To say that we, as
> public
> > health practitioners, shouldn't be focusing on the nutrition habits of
> > disadvantaged people because we wouldn't do the same for the middle-class
> is,
> > quite frankly, a cop-out. We work within a certain framework--the social,
> > cultural and economic structure that surrounds us--and we need to
> acknowledge
> > that in our work. While the average welfare recipient may not have a ton
> of
> > money to throw around, they are still given some money and the choice
> between
> > buying nutritious food or fast food. Giving them more money does not
> remove
> > the choice. Part of our work is to instill the value of health in
> everyone so
> > that everyone, regardless of income or advantage, makes the healthiest
> choices
> > they can.
> >
> > More money is not the solution--though it may be part of a more
> comprehensive
> > policy and program initiative. The solution is changing knowledge,
> attitudes
> > and behaviours at the individual level, resulting in a global impact.
> >
> > Jacquie Poitras
> >
> >
> >
> > --- Dennis Raphael <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > you
> may
> > see it, but the populationn health survey indicates otherwsie.
> > >
> > > I do not see public health nurses going into Rosedale to tell middle
> class
> > > people how to live their lives,
> > >
> > > dennis
> > >
> > > Send one line: unsubscribe click4hp to: [log in to unmask] to unsubscribe
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> > subscription
> >
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