Nutritional Health & Food Engineering

Correspondence:

Received: January 01, 1970 | Published: ,

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Abstract

Background: This document reviews factual evidence presented by other organizations to establish barriers related to poverty and nutritional resources.

Methods: An investigation using previous U.S. Census Bureau data and other external community reports analyzing the trends within specific zip codes.

Learning Objective: Recognize the factors that influence nutritional disparities, while acknowledging the lack of inadequate resources.

Conclusion: Families residing in these zip codes lacked appropriate nutritional resources and incur a higher prevalence of poverty.

Keywords: tulsa oklahoma, nutrition, health disparities, poverty, food resources

Introduction

During the beginning of the millennium, Tulsa County had a concentrated poverty rate of 6.1% which increased over 2.3% during 2005-2009.¹According to the American Community Survey (ACS),² 53% of individuals in Tulsa live in poverty where the overall poverty rates exceed 20% or greater. The possibility of optimal health represents the family structure, economic stability, health and education. Throughout this article, three zip codes (74115, 74116 and 74117) will be analyzed regarding the overall risk related to poverty.³ The Table 1 below displays the largest populations by race within each particular area by zip code.

Race	74115	74116	74117
Caucasian	58.9%	60.9%	77.2%
African American	13%	11.7%	11.1%

Table 1 Primary race by zip code in Tulsa County (2008-2012)

Method

The predominant race in all zip codes is Caucasian while the African American race is less than 13% for all areas within these particular zip code areas. Assessing the employment status for all zip codes listed, Black and White women were the primary workers of the household, while fathers who worked were less than 20% overall (U.S. Census Bureau).⁴ Undeniably, children without a primary family member (i.e., mother or father) with full time employment are at greater susceptibility for living in poverty conditions.⁵

According to American Community Survey,⁴ individuals receiving food stamps in Tulsa County are comprised of 54% Caucasian, 26.4% African Americans and 16.9% combine total for American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian and Multi-race (Note: Also multi-Race category includes two or more races) (Figure 1). The unequal economic and nutritional distribution (i.e, lack of employment opportunities, grocery stores and farmer markets) within these zip codes, create a greater risk and higher prevalence of risk for the children in these low-income neighbourhoods.⁶ The poverty status of a community correlates with a child’s overall health. According to the U.S Census Bureau and represented in the Table 2.

Figure 1 Tulsa county residents receiving food stamps by race/ethnicity.

Race	74115	74116	74117
Caucasian	58.9%	60.9%	77.2%
African American	13%	11.7%	11.1%

Table 2 Poverty status in Tulsa County by specific zip code: years: 2008-2012

An * entry noted within the table represents data that is unavailable

Conclusion

Examining the distribution of enriched nutritional resources from one geographical area to another depicts a rate of recurrence in which the family lacks the opportunity and affordability to appropriate resources such as nutritional food, safe housing, and access to quality medical care. Optimal health is delayed when the economic wellbeing of a child is compromised. [Note: Estimated poverty status captures the income for individuals residing in specific zip codes].

Children living within impoverished conditions may lack adequate and affordable food resources creating a distorted reflection on the individuals overall health.⁷This in fact, resembles a toxic effect on the life course of all children causing developmental delays and or reduced cognitive performance.⁸