It is a common misconception that the homeless are starving and underweight. According to researchers from Harvard Medical School and Oxford University, obesity is just as prevalent among the homeless as in the general population. In one of the largest studies of adult homeless populations ever done, “the hunger-obesity paradox” looks at the body mass index (BMI) in a large sample of adult homeless individuals and compares it with the non-homeless US population. Using BMI, just 1.6% of the studied homeless population were underweight while 65.7% of individuals were overweight and 32.3% were considered obese. According to co-author, Paul Montgomery, “This study highlights the importance of the quality, as well as the quantity, of food that the homeless are consuming. Interventions aimed at reducing obesity in the homeless, such as improving nutritional standards in shelters or educational efforts at clinical sites, should be considered in the light of these findings.” This study supports other academic literature in the United States that demonstrates that the highest prevalence of obesity now exists in low-income groups. In conclusion, the study suggests that obesity may be the new image of malnutrition among homeless people (Koh, 2012).
According to CNN author Mary Park, “One in three (32.3%) homeless individuals in the United States is obese, highlighting a hunger-obesity paradox.” This hunger-obesity paradox described explains that hunger and obesity can exist in the same individual. Many associate obesity with over-eating but do not realize that a person may be obese and lack proper nutrition. The hunger-obesity paradox has also showed that the highest rates of obesity are among poor and lower-income people who lack resources and access to health food (Koh, 2012).
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| Obesity Among the Homeless |
This semester I’m working at the Delonis Homeless Center in Ann Arbor and I’m looking at the relationship between nutrition and health among homeless individuals. As one of the priorities listed in the 2013 UMHS Community Health Needs Assessment, obesity is a major concern for nursing and healthcare providers. This concept relates to the current events of public health because obesity is a growing concern for the United States across all ages, ethnicities, and socio-economic groups. This article and topic is something that has been overlooked and greatly stereotyped. Nutrition directly impacts nursing and health care because of the associations found between high rates of hospitalization and ED use among homeless adults with food insufficiency (Baggett, 2011). By bringing awareness to homelessness and obesity, hopefully we can improve nutrition and access to healthier meals in poor and homeless individuals.
Hi Megan,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! When I was reading your post I started to think about all of the grassroot organizations that have been bringing urban farming into Detroit. I've often heard Detroit referred to as a food dessert as it is especially to find fruits and vegetables in the city for a reasonable price. Urban farming groups are working to change this. Not only do urban farms bring in more fresh fruits and vegetables, they get people outside, doing physical labor. While this is no means an answer to the hunger paradox, urban farming is a great way to bring healthy food into impoverished areas. Here is a link to a Detroit Free Press article about urban farming in Detroit: http://www.freep.com/article/20130520/NEWS01/305200021/urban-gardening-detroit
Mary
Hi Meghan, this is an excellent post that brings up something I think people might not realize unless they stop to think about it. The fact that obesity is prevalent in the homeless population might seem counter-intuitive to some people. However, it is an important fact that it is more difficult and expensive to access healthy foods. But it is important that we as nurses educate people that even though one may be overweight or even obese they can still be under-nourished. Raising awareness about the need to not just provide food to those in need, but to provide nutritious food is an essential step in working to resolve this issue.
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