Not All Disabled People Ate Turkey on Thanksgiving

Introduction

The problem of nutrition for disabled people in the United States requires the attention of authorities and companies. Since poor nutrition of disabled people has a negative impact on the state budget and all taxpayers.

Main article

Nutritional problems of people with disabilities

In November, the United States celebrated Thanksgiving. But it is unlikely that Türkiye was on the table of all disabled Americans. After all, the nutrition of this category of citizens can hardly be called good. People with disabilities do not consume the necessary amount of nutrients. Because their food is of poor quality. Very often these people experience a deficiency of any food!

Thus, points out the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey;

“Only 42.3%, 11.3%, 63.8%, 47.7%, 48.7%, 9.7%, 48.7%, 90.7%, 21.7% and 4, 7% of adults had saturated fat, fiber, cholesterol, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, calcium, iron, sodium and potassium intake from foods within recommended levels, respectively.”(1)

The federal government also notes;

“In 2021, for US households that included an adult out of the labor force due to a disability, 28% were food insecure (low and very low food security). Among US households. with an adult between 18 and 64 years old who reported a disability but was not out of the labor force because of it, 24% were food insecure. In contrast, 7% of households with adults without disabilities were food insecure. 2021. Households that include at least one adult age 65 or older who reported a disability had similar food insecurity prevalence rates as households with adults without disabilities: 9%.” (2)

Why is the nutrition of people with disabilities bad?

Poor nutrition and food shortages are the result of well-known problems. The income of disabled people in the United States is less than the income of non-disabled people. However, disabled people are forced to buy food at the same price as the rest of the population. Thus, in 2022, the average income of a disabled person in the United States was $46,887. At the same time, the income of a non-disabled person was $55,208.(3) Additionally, disabled people participate less in the labor market. At the end of 2023, only 22.5% of people with disabilities were employed. While the same figure for people without disabilities was 65.8%. (4)

But in addition to these known problems, there are a number of hidden difficulties. For example, people with disabilities find it difficult to purchase quality food due to poor mobility and uneven development of the food retail market. A national study states that in areas with a large proportion of disabled people there is little supply of quality food and fewer restaurant establishments. Although the cost of services and food in these areas is low. In the same areas where there is a large supply of quality food and many restaurant establishments, prices are very high.(5) That is, in any case, people with disabilities are hindered by the high cost of food or due to logistical difficulties in acquiring them. this food.

But even when people with disabilities can eat the right amount of quality food, the problems don’t end. Because people with disabilities experience psychological, physiological and social difficulties when eating food. These difficulties are divided into three components in a special study:

• Shrinking bodies: assumption of a diminished corporeality;
• Social Redefinition of Spaces Related to Food;
• Burden, shame and loneliness.(6)

This includes difficulties that only disabled people know about. For example, some patients after chemotherapy feel that food tastes terrible. Other disabled people need special devices to eat. Some people experience pain when eating, etc. All this complicates feeding and turns this common action of everyone into torture for disabled people.

The results of poor nutrition for disabled people

Poor nutrition of disabled people has very serious consequences for the entire society. But it all starts with the fact that poor diet leads to greater disability! It turns out to be a vicious circle. Which looks like this, “Food insecurity – Coping strategies – Chronic illnesses – Health care expenses – Difficulty finding work – Lower household income – Spending trade-offs.” (7)

In other words, people with disabilities cannot eat well and begin to eat bad foods, rich in calories but of low nutritional value. This food encourages new diseases. Diabetes in particular. As a result, people with disabilities are forced to spend more money on medications and lose their jobs. As a result, food spending is reduced. Then the cycle repeats but with worse results. It’s a real circle of hell! But it’s not just the disabled who lose. The State and all taxpayers lose. Since the budget is forced to increase assistance to the disabled after the decrease in their abilities.

To do?

The federal government does a lot for the disabled. On the federal website there is a special section “Services for the disabled”(8) where there are 8 subsections dedicated to helping the disabled. But there is nothing there that indicates the existence of a special federal program to organize the nutrition of the disabled. A program that would take into account all the problems listed in the “Why nutrition for the disabled is bad” section of this article.

Until now no one has paid attention to the absence of such a program. But there are more and more studies on the nutrition problems of people with disabilities. This gives hope that sooner or later an initiative will emerge to create a federal program to provide quality food to people with disabilities. It is possible that this will be done not only at the expense of the federal budget. After all, the market for services for people with disabilities can be very profitable. Companies have already demonstrated this in practice. Entrepreneurs already have experience in marketing ADA protection.(9) If the situation with providing food to people with disabilities develops in the same way, then this is fantastic. When businesses and federal authorities join forces, turkey will appear much faster on the table of all disabled people on Thanksgiving Day!

Checklist

1) https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jhn.12274

2) https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=105136

3) https://www.statista.com/statistics/978989/disability-annual-earnings-us/

4) https://www.disabled-world.com/editorials/disability-unemployed.php

5) https://crr.bc.edu/the-relationship-between-disability-insurance-receipt-and-food-insecurity/

6) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7712265/

7) https://www.feedingamerica.org/sites/default/files/2020-06/Map%20the%20Meal%20Gap%202020%20Health_Disability_and%20Food%20Insecurity%20Module.pdf

8) https://www.usa.gov/disability-services

9) https://www.disabled-world.com/disability/accessibility/ada-standards.php

The stark reality of poor nutrition among disabled Americans underscores the pressing need for systemic change. As the data unequivocally shows, the current state of food insecurity and nutritional deficiencies not only exacerbates health problems but also perpetuates a cycle of disability and economic hardship. It is imperative that federal authorities and private sector entities collaborate to develop and implement comprehensive programs designed to address the unique challenges faced by people with disabilities. By doing so, we can work toward a future where all Americans, regardless of ability, have access to nutritious food and the opportunity to thrive. The time to act is now, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that no one is left behind, especially on occasions like Thanksgiving, when the importance of a nutritious meal is most palpable. Disabled world.

Author Credentials:

Pavel Kuljuk’s articles and poems are published in Australia, North America and Europe. In recent years he has been a consistent contributor to Australian Rural & Regional News (Australia), Red Hook Daily Catch and OpEd News (US) and Disabled World (Canada). Kuliuk’s individual publications can be found in Forbes (Kazakhstan), Rural 21 (Germany), London Loves Business (UK), Karrep (India), RealClearDefense (RCD), Change Links, Daily Caller (US) and many others. Explore Pavels’ full biography for complete information about his background, experience, and achievements.

Page information, citations and disclaimer

Disabled World is a comprehensive online resource providing information and news related to disabilities, assistive technologies, and accessibility issues. Founded in 2004, our website covers a wide range of topics, including disability rights, healthcare, education, employment and independent living, with the goal of supporting the disability community and their families.

Cite this page (APA): Kuljuk, P. (November 30, 2024). Not all disabled people ate turkey at Thanksgiving. Disabled world. Retrieved December 2, 2024 from www.disabled-world.com/editorials/thanksgiving.php

Permanent link: Not all disabled people ate turkey at Thanksgiving: exposing the critical problem of poor nutrition among disabled Americans, analyzing its causes, consequences, and possible solutions, while highlighting the need for specific interventions.

While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, it is important to note that our content is for general informational purposes only. We always recommend consulting qualified healthcare professionals for personalized medical advice. Any third party offers or advertisements do not constitute an endorsement.