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The students at SCT are armed only with computers and a mission to combat the epidemic of childhood obesity. And yet they have made some impressive progress by using a sophisticated computer mapping program called GIS (Geographical Information Systems) in Corri-Anne Burgess’ ROP class.
Burgess’ students learned quickly what a powerful tool computers can be. They applied the GIS mapping program to show the high rate of fast-food outlets in the pockets of San Diego with high poverty rates – what demographers call food deserts. They then overlaid that map with mapping that showed low rate of car ownership in those same areas. The result is they created an easy-to-track clash of bad circumstance – low mobility trapping low-income residents into a lifestyle of unhealthy food. San Diego’s urban areas are full of food deserts, and SCT students have tracked them.
They were inspired to use their new-found knowledge by First Lady Michelle Obama, who has made combating the epidemic of childhood obesity one of the top priorities of the White House. Mrs. Obama has launched the Let’s Move Campaign to eradicate childhood obesity, a subject she spoke about on her recent visit to San Diego. The SCT students plan is to take their food desert mapping discoveries to policy makers, legislators and health care officials to help spur them to action about bringing some relief to the food deserts in our city.
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