A Nutrition Problem We Can No Longer Ignore�������������

JASMINE WESTBROOKS

MS, RD, CDCES

I never knew how much social determinants of health would ultimately affect the way I looked at food, health and my family’s well-being until I started to observe the differences in the environment� Growing up, I loved spending time with my grandparents, from weekend walks to the corner store market to the endless positive energy of my cousins during the summer� Walking to the nearest convenience store was always a treat for me because that meant that I could get the sweetest pastry and treats I wanted�

It was not until later in life that I realized that these convenience stores basically had the sweetest but most unhealthy options available to an entire neighborhood of people who suffered from type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer� It was not until I got older and became more exposed to other parts of the city that I noticed even the nearest grocery store had limited options compared with other well-stocked grocery stores that had healthier options in non-Black neighborhoods� Even after putting the pieces together of my observation, family members and friends started to die from certain medical conditions that could have been prevented with exposure to healthy options, but also exposure to being taught how to properly prepare healthy foods�

Social determinants of health have now exploded into a hot topic related directly to health outcomes for many Americans� As defined by Healthy People 2020, social determinants are conditions in the environments in which people are born, live, learn, play, worship and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning and quality of life (QOL) outcomes and risks� 1 We aim to bridge the health gap between better health outcomes and chronic

conditions in a country where your zip code predetermines your health condition�

Examples of social determinants include the availability of resources to meet daily needs (like healthy food), access to education, economy and jobs, quality of education, communitybased support, transportation, social norms and altitude, culture, language and much more� 1 Longevity and

quality of life are directly affected by social determinants of health, but why do we blame patients for their choices in food or behavior when often our environment and upbringing are in so many ways directly tied to future health outcomes for generations?

Nutrition became more complex not because there was a new nutrient discovered, but because there are so many factors that more nutrition professionals have become aware of that determine why we eat foods and develop certain lifestyles and behaviors� It is not about the upbringing, but the delivery of information from other healthcare professionals that impact the behaviors of the community�

While working for a communitybased facility in Florida as a nutrition educator, I noticed that people

of color (POC) were often educated to eat foods that they were not familiar with or accustomed to. They would often leave confused, discouraged and frustrated due to the lack of knowledge, empathy and unrealistic expectations placed on their ability to be healthy.

My experiences before I became a dietitian have shaped me to know the true value of my profession� I’m currently serving as a co-founder and director of EatWell Exchange Inc�, which stemmed from two Black dietitians seeing a common problem and willing to create the solution to educate a better community� We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides nutrition education and promotes access to healthy food with a focus on culture� We aim to bridge the health gap between better health outcomes and chronic conditions in a country where your zip code predetermines your health condition� My business partner and friend, Ashley Carter, and I know that representation matters� We are two proud dietitians happy to serve POC because we understand the lack, and even when we do not understand, we put empathy before pride� Keeping these things in mind, we have been able to serve over 5,000 people nationally and internationally�

Creating inclusion in dietetics is a priority and requires a deeper, honest, transparent look into the policies and procedures that have shaped the dietetics profession from the start� Unfortunately, there is no one answer that will fix the lack of diversity in dietetics but there must be constant changes to create progress�

Creating inclusion in dietetics is a priority and requires a deeper, honest, transparent look into the policies and procedures that have shaped the dietetics profession from the start�