Why Racism, Food Systems, and Our Health Are Deeply Intertwined—And How We Can Start To Untangle Them

I wrote this new piece for Well+Good about the history of food systems and the structures and systems that define social determinants of health:

…The large majority of the research studies that guide health-care recommendations have study participants that are not representative of the diversity within this country. In fact, the study participants from both the Nurses Health Study and the Physicians Health Study—two massive, longitudinal research trials that are used to inform lots of health research—are overwhelmingly white and middle class. When the study participants are not representative of the diversity of the country in which we live, it’s likely that the public health recommendations derived from said research may not be accessible and generalizable to all.

In essence, we are looking at 400 years of racism and systems that have been designed to segregate and keep BIPOC communities from flourishing and being well. In order to improve the health of these communities, we must address these massive, systemic injustices. There is no expectation of solving these problems overnight, but I believe that there is a path forward that encompasses many of the recommendations made by social justice organizations and health equity professionals.