Have you ever walked through your local Dollar Tree and wandered through the refrigerated aisle? Not many would ideally go there for their groceries; it’s where you go to find the cheapest alternatives. But for many Americans, these “cheap alternatives” are the only thing they can afford. Where someone might shop for groceries may not seem very significant, and the difference between Dollar Tree bread and Whole Foods bread may not be apparent. However, this is a considerable difference that has a substantial impact on the individual’s health. As a society, we often discuss healthy habits, particularly when it comes to what we eat and drink. Still, the reality is that where you can afford to buy your food determines your health. A large portion of Americans lack the affordability to access the foods we consider essential for a healthy lifestyle.
It’s not that individuals don’t want to eat better; rather, what they eat or what is available is often determined by their environment. The fact of the matter is that many low-income neighborhoods lack traditional or upscale grocery stores; instead, residents frequently shop at cheaper alternatives, such as Dollar Tree and gas stations, which typically carry a selection of processed foods. Food that is free of harmful hormones, organic fresh produce, and protein-filled meats is an expensive commodity that is also unaffordable for many middle-class individuals. When deciding between canned vegetables for $1 and fresh produce for $8, the price tag starts to look unreasonable compared to the nutrition label, and health becomes a question of which option won’t break the bank.
Although healthy food is still attainable and not entirely out of reach, it requires lower-income individuals to dedicate a significant amount of time, effort, and flexibility in their personal and professional lives to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Time is also money, and low-income individuals often work long and physically taxing jobs, and even hold multiple occupations to help make ends meet. With such a schedule, it’s hard to find time to prioritize their own health or fit in a proper meal. They tend to eat whatever is the easiest and quickest to make, just for the sake of having something in their bodies. Integrating healthy habits into one’s day-to-day life requires time for grocery shopping, cooking, and engaging in physical activity. The less time you can set aside, the more you tend to neglect your health.
One’s access to healthcare is another factor where socioeconomic status has a significant influence on health outcomes. Healthcare in America is costly. Individuals would rather take on health risks than deal with the hassle of health insurance and copays that are simply unaffordable. Preventative care in that aspect is costly, and leads to delayed treatments of conditions that individuals, especially low-income individuals, develop from the physically exhaustive work they do and the physical risks their professions bring. Wealth determines health in the sense that the better job you have, the better your insurance, therefore the better the treatment you will receive.Â
The phrase “Health is wealth” suggests that you have more control over your health than you actually do, as it overlooks the multitude of environmental factors that influence our health. We, as a society, place a lot of emphasis on individual health conditions rather than the actual structural barriers that ultimately determine who can be healthy and who cannot. We need to acknowledge and reevaluate these structures and the systemic disparities that accompany them in order to make a meaningful difference in health accessibility. Health should not be something determined by how much you earn or where you happen to live; it should be a guarantee for everyone.