About.Food deserts are a problem facing many communities around the country yet they are rarely discussed. My goal is to not only increase awareness about food deserts, but to fight against them. Counteracting food deserts begins with education, advocacy, and accessibility.
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What is a Food Desert?
Food deserts are usually found in areas where accessibility to fresh fruits and vegetables, and other whole food healthy options, are limited. Food deserts strike in urban areas where there is, instead, a surplus of processed and sugary foods. These regions are also characterized by a large amount of quick and convenient stores.
An area that qualifies as a food desert, as defined by the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA), is one where at least 33 percent and/or 500 people of the census population lives more than one mile from a large grocery store or supermarket.
An area that qualifies as a food desert, as defined by the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA), is one where at least 33 percent and/or 500 people of the census population lives more than one mile from a large grocery store or supermarket.
Nationwide Problem
Though there has been a decrease in the number of people living in limited access areas, a decrease of 16 million since 2005, there are still around 20 million people (7% of our population) still living in areas considered to have limited access to supermarkets.
When comparing by states, Nebraska and Rhode Island had the lowest decrease of limited access areas, 19% and 18% respectively, compared to the national decrease of 45%. Washington, D.C had the lowest overall decrease in limited access areas, with a decrease of only 12%.*
When comparing by states, Nebraska and Rhode Island had the lowest decrease of limited access areas, 19% and 18% respectively, compared to the national decrease of 45%. Washington, D.C had the lowest overall decrease in limited access areas, with a decrease of only 12%.*
Link to Obesity and Other Health Risks
The consumption of certain foods high in fat, calories and sodium increases the probability of obesity and other diet-related issues.
Foods such as whole grain, fruits, vegetables, and milk have proven to decrease the chance of obesity in an individual. These same foods are what low access communities are lacking. |
Greater access to fast-food franchises and restaurants also affects personal diets.
Portion sizes of outside outlets are relatively larger compared to home cooked meals. The prevalence of fast-food franchises are also higher in areas where supermarket’s are not as frequent. Consuming larger portions of and having greater access to unhealthy foods leads to higher cases of obesity. |
The prevalence of supermarkets is positively associated with the amount of obesity cases. In other words, lower numbers of supermarkets meant higher cases in obesity
Since healthier food is usually more expensive, it is harder to access in lower income areas. |
Pre-existing PreventionsPoliticians and health care representatives have put forth various strategies to counteract the impact of food desert related health risks, specifically obesity.
One way policy makers have tried to lower obesity cases is by placing taxes on sodas. Philadelphia is the first major city in the US to place a tax on sodas. With the tax, up to $1 was added to a 2 liter container, up to 18 cents for 12 ounce cans, and $2.16 for 12 packs. The rationale for the tax relies on the belief that once soda is more expensive, people living in low access communities become more hesitant to purchase these sugary drinks. Fewer people purchasing sugary drinks means an unconscious improvement in diets. Another option to counteract health risks linked to food deserts is to educate individuals on how to eat a better diet. Links have been shown that lower access, urban communities are patterned to have a poorer diet quality. However, with education people learn to make better choices in their everyday diets. State and federal offices offer online health and nutrition facts and programming. Another strategy to counteract health risks linked to food deserts is to provide access to healthier foods for those people who recognize their diets are lacking and want to make a change. Many people want to change their habits but lack the opportunities to make their desires a reality. State departments of agriculture and other entities have begun increasing the amount of regional farmer's markets to address these needs and offering tax incentives for large supermarkets to invest in underdeveloped areas. Another program used to affect the diets of citizens living in food deserts is providing calorie labeled menus (which became a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirement effective December 1, 2016) for chain restaurants with more than 20 locations. This information helps consumers make informed decisions about their food choices. |
*2014 Analysis of Limited Supermarket Access, The Reinvestment Fund, 2015