National Minority Health Month: The Special Role of Nutrition in the Health of People in Minority Communities

April is National Minority Health Month . In addition to helping increase appreciation for the unique health challenges that people from minority communities face, we’d like to draw particular attention to the role of nutrition. The unfortunate reality is that minority communities are disproportionately affected by food deserts, food insecurity, and lack of access to quality food – and this has an outsized impact on their health and well-being.

A Storied History

The origins of National Minority Health Month go back to 1915 when Booker T. Washington, then president of Tuskegee University, established a Health Week. Washington's goal was to raise awareness around the particular health needs of African Americans and the overall economic impact of poor health on the African American community. In addition to an annual publication of health-related data, Washington also hoped to focus attention on specific diseases like tuberculosis and on the need for better access to care, which led, for example, to more African American nurses.

In 2002, Congress decided to honor and support Washington’s efforts by dedicating April to increasing awareness of the health equity gaps and health and care needs of all minorities, in addition to African Americans that includes Latinos, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, American Indians, ethnic and religious minorities, people with disabilities, women and girls, the elderly, rural residents, and LGBTQ+ people.

Still Needed Today

The special attention that Washington brought to the health of African Americans – and that Congress expanded to all minorities – is still needed today. Even with variations and nuances among different groups, minorities tend to be disproportionally affected by chronic illnesses including diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, obesity, heart disease, and cancer? - all of which reduce the quality of life and shorten lifespans.

There are many factors related to socio-economic inequalities and systemic injustices that contribute to this ongoing health crisis. Those inequalities include environmental conditions, racialized policies and practices across societal institutions, and lack of ready access to secure housing, quality education, steady employment, reliable transportation, and social resources. According to a 2023 KFF report , “Black, Hispanic, and AIAN people fared worse than White people across the majority of examined measures of health and health care and social determinants of health.”

But access to quality food looms large among all these factors.

The Special Role of Food

54 million people in America are food insecure and 23.5 million live in food deserts . Minority populations tend to be disproportionately represented in those numbers. For example, in 2022, 20% of Black households and 16.2% of Hispanic/Latino households experienced food insecurity compared to 7% of white households. Rates of food insecurity vary across different minority groups but they are higher for all minorities compared to white people when socio-economic challenges are also factored in.

This is significant for health because poor diet is a top driver of mortality and morbidity. People with food insecurity are 15% more likely to have a chronic illness and 58% more likely to die from any cause.

Food swamps, where people lack access to quality nutrition and healthy food but have abundant access to ultra-processed, energy-dense foods at low prices, have an even bigger influence on elevated rates of chronic illness and cancer. Low-income and minority communities tend to have more convenient stores and fewer quality grocery stores.

What Can We Do?

Broadly speaking, systematic efforts to improve health equity and address social determinants of health can help build healthier communities for minorities. Improved access to healthcare services, health screenings, social services, and affordable drugs and treatments is needed and a movement is afoot to bring this change.

On the food security front, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and the School Meals Programs remain important for improving access to quality nutrition.

More targeted programs and initiatives are also critical for moving the needle in areas of specific need. Some of our own programs have shown powerful results in improving maternal health in minority communities and with specific disease states like diabetes and chronic kidney disease . We’re continuing to grow our programs wherever possible to support those in need.

All of that starts with awareness and data , as Booker T. Washington well understood. In researching his story, we came across this poignant account of his own challenges accessing food in his memoir, Up From Slavery :

I cannot remember a single instance during my childhood or early boyhood when our entire family sat down to the table together, and God's blessing was asked, and the family ate a meal in a civilized manner. On the plantation in Virginia, and even later, meals were gotten to the children very much as dumb animals get theirs. It was a piece of bread here and a scrap of meat there. It was a cup of milk at one time and some potatoes at another.

Too many minorities in America still live with the reality of food insecurity today and pay the price with their health and quality of life. It’s time to end that disparity by increasing access to nutritious food for all.

To learn more about NourishedRx’s programs that target health equity and help lower healthcare costs through access to good nutrition, contact us at [email protected]