Future Physicians and Food Insecurity: A Medical Student’s Perspective

Part 2

Noah Duke is a first year medical student at the Medical College of Wisconsin Green Bay campus.

Following the Medical College of Wisconsin information session, New Leaf Foods Communication Coordinator Lauren Knisbeck had the chance to sit down with one of the students in attendance. First year medical student Noah Duke admitted that during his academic journey, he’s spent little time learning about the issues of food insecurity. As a future physician, he understands the impact food can have on health, and is eager to learn more. 

Q: Throughout your life, to what extent, if any, have you learned about food insecurity?

A: Growing up in a smaller town with a lot of farms and a lot of farm kids, we talked a lot about food, but not in the sense of a lack [of it]. Even in college, it’s not a talked-about thing. I would tell you … I probably learned it twice. 

Q: During your undergrad years, you were involved with UW La Crosse’s Food Recovery Network. What made you want to get involved? 

A: One of the big things we were taught growing up was not to waste food. That was a big thing in my household. When you go to these big campuses and colleges, you see the amount of food they throw away. For me, that felt like yes it’s a waste, but it’s also an opportunity. … It's an opportunity for somebody else to get a meal that’s both healthy and hypothetically tastes good, right? 

Q: Will any of your required classes focus on food insecurity? In what ways?

A: Our course called the Good Doctor, focuses on morals – the idea of the world outside of medicine, how it affects your practice. I can’t imagine today will be the last day that we talk about, maybe not food insecurity, but places in the US that have difficulty getting access to healthy things.

Q: How will your medical practice be affected by the problem of food insecurity?

A: I think it depends on where you are in your practice. Like what age group, what demographic are you working with?  I think as a physician, [the] goal is to have quick and easy ideas to offer your patients…Because it’s one thing to ask them ‘hey do you have trouble getting food? Do you have trouble getting healthy food?’ because if the answer is yes, how do you respond? 

It’s having those quick arrows to fire at your patients with helpful tips, whether it’s meals, styles of cooking, flavor.

Q: What do you think people should know about food insecurity causing health issues? 

A: I would tell you … that with food insecurities, I think mental health is an incredible thing to be concerned about because of the micro-nutrients. Mental health because I think a lot of micro-nutrients are what you don’t think about, but are massively important, and then I think the best examples are things like chronic obesity and diabetes. I think that comes from the fact that we, especially in the US, like to pretend that if you are obese it’s your fault. But the reality is, it’s not.

Q: What do you have to say about some of the perceptions people have about those who are food insecure?

A: That the reality is, when these food deserts or swamps pop up, there’s nothing that the people living in them can do about it. That’s just the reality. It’s not like they have the ability to move. If you’re someone who has to walk, bike, or take public transportation, but there’s no grocery store within ten miles [that creates a significant barrier]. You have to get public transportation, which means you have to then find the right time whenever that’s coming by, get to the store, and you [have to] carry everything back. Sometimes that is just not feasible. So yea, you go out. You go to the gas station, you grab something. That happens, because you have to eat. I’m never [going to] tell someone not to eat because it’s ‘bad for you’ you need to eat food. I think that leads to a lot of health issues and that’s what I would tell the general public. 

Q: What was one of the biggest takeaways from the panel?

A: The cooking example of giving recipes. I think that is incredibly massive because as she said, you can give hundreds of pounds of produce, but if I don’t know how to prepare it, it’s useless. There are very few people in the world that can eat a raw cucumber and be like ‘this tastes great.’ 

I think the other big thing that I took away is understanding people’s true access to food … If you’re just above that level of income, you’re not that much better off than the person that’s below, but now you don’t get that extra support. Being able to understand that the government can help out in this way, but we as a community need to pick up the slack. Where I understand the government has to set a limit, but then, you know it’s on us to be able to help everyone else out and provide some sort of support.

Q: What advice would you give to those struggling to incorporate healthy foods in their diets?

A: I will say, [with] a base level of sarcasm, do not be afraid to use salt! I know they talk about it, don’t overdo it, but make sure your food tastes good. Especially when you’re talking kids and picky eaters. I’m not saying dump a pound of salt or sugar to make something taste good, but don't be afraid to use something that is going to help get those vegetables in. Don’t be scared away by the steamed vegetables. I don’t know how to cook vegetables, so I steam them because then I can throw them anywhere.

The next time you’re in a store, look in the frozen food section and you’re gonna find a two-dollar bag of mixed vegetables that you can stretch out across some time. The big thing with vegetables is that those micro-nutrients are so important. 

To read more about food insecurity and the medical field, check out this article: Food Insecurity and Future Physicians: New Leaf Foods Speaks at MCW Panel