Captive audience? Strategies for acquiring food in two Detroit neighborhoods.
Research has shown elevated rates of diet-related health problems in Detroit, Michigan compared to state and national averages. Using 47 in-depth interviews of African American residents in two Detroit neighborhoods, I examine the interplay between agency and social structure in food acquisition. Participants discussed numerous difficulties obtaining food, including availability, cost, quality, and accessibility. Residents employed many strategies to address these issues, including carefully examining food before purchase, sharing transportation to leave the neighborhood, and using multiple sources. However, the potential to pursue food acquisition strategies varied, in part, according to community contextual factors, including resident concerns about safety, the availability of food banks, and resources in surrounding areas. Nutritional knowledge among participants was sophisticated, suggesting that health education efforts, as opposed to addressing lack of access to high-quality food, might be misguided. I found that accounting for both agency and structural context aids in understanding diet-related behaviors.
Chattanooga State Community College, Chattanooga, TN, USA. dan.rose@chattanoogastate.edu
Daniel J
DJ
Rose
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D003657:Decision Making; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition; D008824:Michigan; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011203:Poverty; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D040241:Social Marketing; D013637:Tape Recording; D055815:Young Adult