Introduction
The US Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) is an organization that assists millions of Americans with low income to have food right on their table. Undesirable happenings such as food insecurity, food deserts, and limited resources experienced in the SNAP affect many individuals’ health (Shannon, 2018). Insufficient access to nutritious and healthy food due to high-cost results in a short and long-term effect on both physical and mental health.
Short and Long Term Effects on Physical Health
Food insecurity affects adults’ physical health by causing short-term effects such as micronutrient deficiency, lower physical activity, and eventually obesity. Children also face problems in their development which can lead to them being at high risk of getting obese. Areas affected by food deserts cannot access healthy foodstuff due to a lack of sufficient capital, thus making the population in these areas suffer from malnutrition which results in loss of weight (Shannon, 2018). These challenges can also result in long-term physical health where one develops diseases like diabetes, asthma, and hypertension (Shannon, 2018). These illnesses can cause both the sick person and their families a great deal of suffering.
Short and Long Term Effects on Mental Health
Individual mental health is also affected by food challenges causing psychological distress. Short-term effects include stress, mood, and behavior disorders, resulting in long-term impacts such as depression. Thus, this condition can cause one to make a wrong decision, like indulging in substance abuse activities and even having suicidal thoughts (Davydov, 2017). These physical and mental challenges affect development and the lifespan by increasing early mortality rates leading to population decrease.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is seen that food challenges affect both the outward look and the psychological aspect of a person. Therefore, it is better to develop effective plans or policies to address both mental and physical well-being, and dietary needs to improve a low-income population’s health. The only way this can be achieved is through creating food security programs that will be able to avert the scarcity of this extremely essential human requirement.
References
Davydov, I. (2017). Not even the president’s friends can always influence decision-making. The Current Digest of the Post-Soviet Press, 69(017), 10-11. Web.
Shannon, J. (2018). From food deserts to supermarket redlining: Making sense of food access in Atlanta. Atlanta Studies. Web.