Food Deserts: What To Know...

TommL / Getty Images

Medically reviewed by Kate Colby, MPHMedically reviewed by Kate Colby, MPHNearly 20% of people in the United States live in food deserts—geographic areas lacking direct access to affordable and healthy fresh fruits and vegetables. Although families know the benefits of fresh foods, processed foods are often more readily available.Limited access to farmer's markets and supermarkets most often affects low-income communities where people are at an increased risk for chronic health conditions. Approximately 60% of Americans live with a chronic health condition like heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), and diabetes.Food deserts also disproportionately affect predominantly Black and Brown communities. This often happens in cities despite how wealthy the neighborhood may be or in rural neighborhoods experiencing poverty.More research is being done to study the effects of reduced access to fresh foods on public health. People living in food deserts may experience limited transit access, structural racism, and other barriers to fresh food access.CausesWhere you live is one of the social determinants of health—a part of your environment that plays a significant role in your health and well-being. Many supermarkets and grocery stores in cities across the U.S. are not located near a bus or rail line, making them less accessible to low-income families that depend on public transportation.In many major cities like Los Angeles, neighborhoods once full of accessible grocery stores went through a period known as white flight that spanned from the 1960s to the 1990s.During this time, as southern L.A. became more diverse, white residents who did not want to live in racially integrated communities moved out of urban cities to the suburbs. As a result, many white residents also removed businesses, including grocery stores and farmer's markets, from these neighborhoods.Programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provide government support to low-income families for groceries. Unfortunately, even if families can go to a farmer's market or produce stand, many do not accept SNAP benefits. Convenience and dollar stores accept SNAP but do not offer the same healthy options as farmer's markets.Many supermarket chains exist only on the outskirts of neighborhoods with low-income housing. Often, supermarkets open stores in wealthier communities, making it more difficult for low—to middle-class families to commute to a reliable grocery store easily.How To Identify Food DesertsIt is not always obvious that you live in a food desert. For an area to be defined as a food desert, approximately one-third of the population must live more than one mile from the nearest supermarket in a city or more than ten miles in a rural neighborhood.Food deserts do not exist exclusively in urban areas. A rural community can be considered a food desert if the closest grocery store is more than a 25-minute drive away. Rural communities experiencing poverty are more likely to live in food deserts.Urban food deserts may not always be completely void of food access, but having many options for food around you does not always include healthy food access. For example, living within walking distance of a farmer's market is healthier than living within walking distance of a fast-food restaurant.
Food Access Research AtlasThe Food Access Research Atlas (formally known as the Food Desert Locator) is a tool people can use to determine if they live in a food desert. It uses data from the U.S. Census, like income and supermarket accessibility, to map neighborhood and community access to healthy and affordable food.
RisksLimited access to fresh fruits and vegetables can make you more likely to develop chronic health conditions. In the United States, around 60% of Americans live with at least one chronic health condition, such as hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, and diabetes.According to a study, people living in food deserts who had heart disease were more likely to have a heart attack than participants who didn't.Food deserts disproportionately affect people of color in the United States. Black and Brown communities are the most vulnerable to increased exposure to unhealthy foods from lack of access to fresh foods.The 2022 U.S. Census reported that individuals identifying as Black or Hispanic accounted for approximately 33% of the U.S. population but nearly 49% of people in poverty. Black and Brown communities living in poverty are disproportionately affected by food deserts more than any other group.Other studies found that people living in food deserts are more likely to develop obesity and certain cancers than individuals with more access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Still, studies show that people want more access to fresh foods.In 2019, the United States Department of Agriculture estimated that 84% of SNAP benefits were redeemed at grocery stores and supermarkets for fresh fruits and vegetables. Individuals living in food deserts have limited access to these stores, which can limit their chances of buying the healthy foods they want.Overcoming Barriers to Food AccessThere are no simple solutions to eliminating food deserts, but resources are available to help improve access to healthy and affordable foods. At some grocery stores, incentive programs exist where you can double your SNAP benefits when you purchase fresh produce.Being the head of a household with excessively long working hours can also make preparing a healthy, balanced meal daily challenging. Additionally, local dollar and convenience stores often lack cultural diversity in their food options. Increasing diverse fresh food options can help make healthy food more accessible for families.
Urban HarvestLocal non-profit organizations and community spaces like Urban Harvest help nurture community gardens to increase access to fresh produce. Community gardens are often started by residents interested in growing their food in their backyard or an open space in the neighborhood. Many community gardens are run by groups of people giving back to their community.
A Quick ReviewFood deserts are gaps in access to healthy fresh fruit and vegetables in cities and rural communities. In the United States, they disproportionately affect people of color. People living in low-income neighborhoods are also more likely to lack access to various farmer's markets and fresh food sources.Local community organizers in major cities often work together to make healthy foods more accessible in their communities. Food deserts can heavily affect the likelihood of people developing long-term health conditions for generations of communities. For more Health.com news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Health.com.

Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!

Source link

What's your thought on the article, write a comment

0 Comments

Sign In to perform this Activity

Account Frozen

Ads