202 CHAPTER 7 | FRom SummARy To SynTHESiSStandardized tests of impoverished siblings, one of whom
received nutritional supplements and the other who did not,
showed cognitive gains in the well-nourished child as well as
increased motor skills and greater interest in social interactions
when compared to the other child. In the highly formative tod-
dler years, undernutrition can inhibit the myelination of nerve
fibers, which is responsible for neurotransmitting and proper
brain function. Collaborators Emily Tanner from the University of
Oxford and Matia Finn-Stevenson from Yale University published
a comprehensive analysis of the link between nutrition and
brain development in 2002. Their analysis, which they linked
to social policy, indicated that a shortage of legumes and leafy
green vegetables, which are nearly impossible to find in corner
stores, is the leading cause of the iron-deficiency anemia afflict-
ing 25 percent of urban children. This extreme form of anemia
is characterized by impaired neurotransmission, weaker memory,
and reduced attention span (Tanner and Finn-Stevenson 186).
For those who do not have access to the vitamins, minerals, and
micronutrients found in fruits and vegetables, these maladies
are not distant risks, but constant, inescapable threats.
In light of these severe consequences of undernutrition,
the term “food insecurity” encapsulates the condition wherein
the economically disadvantaged are vulnerable simply because
their bodies are unable to receive adequate fuel for optimal
functioning. Just as one cannot expect a dry, parched plant to
bloom and pollinate a garden, by constraining the development
of individuals, food insecurity also constrains the development
of the neighborhoods in which the individuals contribute. For
the health of a city and its communities, all roadblocks to prog-
ress must be removed, and food insecurity must be cut out at its
roots so that individuals have the resources for advancement.
As socially conscious citizens and local governments
have recognized the prevalence and danger of food insecurity in
inner cities, there have been attempts at a remedy. Obviously,
the easiest solution is simply to introduce a grocery store that
would provide a variety of quality, healthful foods. However, for
big-box supermarkets driven by the bottom line, urban areas are
less than desirable business locales from a standpoint of bothAgain she both sum-
marizes and cites
a relevant study to
advance her argument.Paul 477807_GRE_5344_Ch7_151_210.indd 202 11/19/14 1:59 PM