Which Is The Food: Desert Or Dessert

Food deserts: Definition, effects, and solutions

Food deserts are areas in which individuals have limited access to nutritious and inexpensive food due to geographical limitations. This might be due to a lack of financial resources or the need to go further to locate nutritious meal alternatives. People who live in food deserts may be at increased risk for diet-related illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease because they lack access to nutritious foods. Multiple government agencies are currently sponsoring efforts to prevent regions from becoming food deserts as well as to enhance people’s access to food in areas that have already been declared food deserts by the USDA.

Areas where individuals have limited access to a range of nutritious foods are referred to as food deserts.

The USDA defines a food desert as an area where the poverty rate is greater than or equal to 20 percent, or where the median family income does not exceed 80 percent of the median family income in urban areas, or 80 percent of the statewide median family income in nonurban areas, as defined by the federal government.

In metropolitan areas, at least 500 persons, or 33 percent of the population, must reside more than one mile from the nearest big food store in order for the requirement to be met.

Between 2000 and 2006, the USDA identified approximately 6,500 food deserts.

11.5 million of these persons have poor incomes, making about a quarter of the total.

• Populations that are either extremely huge or extremely sparse
• Low income
• Significant levels of unemployment
• Insufficient access to transportation
• A small number of food shops that provide fresh produce at a reasonable price

The survey also points out that rural areas in the Western, Midwest, and Southern regions of the United States are far more likely than rural areas in the Northeast to be classified as food deserts. This may be due to the fact that rural regions in the Northeast tend to be closer to metropolitan areas where food shops may be found. According to the analysis, rural regions with expanding people may be at a lesser risk of becoming food deserts in the near future. Experts have not yet achieved a consensus on the features of the populations who live in food deserts, which is a significant problem.

Researchers have found that some low-income districts have a higher number of food stores and that they reside closer to these stores than persons from wealthier backgrounds, according to the analysis.

It is the absence of mobility in rural regions that is the most important predictor of food insecurity.

Furthermore, because experts have not established a consensus on the features of communities impacted by food deserts, additional study is required.

Such analyses may aid policymakers in identifying places that are at danger of becoming food deserts, allowing them to put in place measures to improve access to nutritious foods. Maintaining a nutritious diet entails the following steps:

• Consuming a diverse range of foods from all dietary categories while keeping calorie consumption under control, minimizing intake of saturated and trans fatty acids, added sweets, and excess salt is recommended.

Foods that are considered healthy by the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans include the following ingredients:

• A range of fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains
• Fat-free or low-fat dairy products
• Protein-rich meals, such as:

• Seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds, and soy products are all good choices.

It is possible that people who live in food deserts have restricted access to supermarkets and other food shops that sell nutritious and reasonably priced items. Healthful meals are sometimes available in convenience stores and tiny grocery stores; nevertheless, they are frequently out of reach for persons on a fixed budget. People who live in food deserts may consequently be more reliant on food merchants or fast food restaurants that offer a more cheap but limited choice of items to supplement their diet.

As a result, diet-related diseases such as high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease might occur more frequently.

• Obesity is on the rise, as is the prevalence of diabetes, as are other weight-related diseases, particularly in youngsters.

Numerous food deserts also have limited or costly access to health-care resources. In turn, this has a detrimental impact on the health of the individuals who live in these neighborhoods. People use a variety of phrases to express the availability of food to a community. Other instances are discussed in greater detail in the sections that follow.

Food swamps

A food swamp is defined as a place that gives ample access to nutritious and inexpensive food while also providing an oversupply of less nutritious food alternatives. Food swamps are more widespread than food deserts in Canadian metropolitan areas, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

Food mirages

A food mirage is a term used to describe a situation in which individuals live in close proximity to grocery shops that provide a range of nutritious foods but are unable to buy such goods. As a result, people must go further to acquire nutritious foods that are also within their financial means.

Food insecurity

Food insecurity is defined as having restricted or insecure access to food as a result of a lack of financial resources. Families and individuals with limited financial resources may find it difficult to buy nutritious diets. In the United States, policymakers are actively seeking ways to enhance access to nutritious meals in food deserts around the country. The Community Food Programs Competitive Grant Program provides funding for long-term food projects that assist low-income communities in gaining access to nutritious and culturally appropriate diets and lifestyles.

Among the concerns that the Community Food Projects hope to solve are the following:

• Increasing the availability of nutritious, locally sourced meals by implementing the following strategies:

• Affordably priced grocery stores and marketplaces, as well as backyard and community gardens, as well as food aid programs

• Encouraging healthy eating habits by providing education and training on food production, preparation, and nutrition
• Enrolling eligible residents in government nutrition programs
• Increasing access to local farmers markets
• Promoting safe and fair farm worker conditions
• Supporting sustainable agricultural practices that protect the environment, water supply, and habitats
• Assisting food industry entrepreneurs
• Celebrating and honoring diverse food cultures
• Encouraging resiliency in the face of adversity

The term “food desert” refers to a region where people lack access to nutritious foods. They are a huge problem that affects millions of individuals in the United States and throughout the world. According to experts, those who live in a food desert are at a higher risk of developing obesity, diabetes, and other weight-related diseases.

Community Food Projects are attempting to enhance food systems in areas that are considered food deserts. The overall goal of the organization is to assist in increasing inhabitants’ access to nutritious foods.

What Are Food Deserts?

Local communities that lack access to nutritious meals are known as “food deserts.” Thousands of individuals in the United States and throughout the world are affected by this important issue. It is believed by some experts that living in a food desert increases the chance of developing obesity, diabetes, and other weight-related diseases. Community Food Projects are attempting to enhance food systems in areas that are considered food deserts by the federal government. It is their ultimate goal to assist residents in increasing their access to nutritious meals.

Definition

While there is no universally accepted definition, food deserts are typically understood to be areas where inhabitants do not have easy access to inexpensive nutritional foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as well as other staples. As a substitute for grocery shops or farmers’ markets, these regions frequently feature convenience stores and petrol stations with minimal shelf space available for healthy selections, making nutritious meals practically unattainable for many families that live in these neighborhoods.

• People’s ability to get healthy food selections might be hindered by a lack of financial and other resources (such as transportation).
• It is likely that the neighbor who drives frequently will have more alternatives when it comes to grocery shopping than his neighbor next door.
• After all, $50 worth of packaged meals and frozen dinners may frequently provide a family with a supper that lasts longer than $50 worth of fresh veggies and lean proteins.
• A food desert might be difficult to define precisely because of this.
• If you live more than 0.5 or one mile away from a supermarket, grocery store, or other sources of healthy, inexpensive food, you live in a food desert.
• Beyond geographic proximity, the department considered additional considerations such as low-income status and availability of a car.

Locations

When most public health professionals talk about food deserts, they’re usually talking to metropolitan surroundings – inner cities, for example, where higher land prices might deter many potential grocers from setting up shop there. However, whereas metropolitan regions account for around 82 percent of all food deserts, rural towns are not entirely exempt. As reported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), around 335,000 people in the country live more than 20 miles from a supermarket.

Food deserts are more prevalent in low-income neighborhoods, which are often the worst harmed by them.

According to the USDA, over half of all low-income zip codes (i.e., those with a median income of less than $25,000) qualify as food deserts.

Who Lives There

Low-income folks, particularly those who do not have access to a vehicle or who reside in distant rural locations, frequently have the most difficulty obtaining nutritious foods. For these folks, acquiring nutritious foods necessitates a longer drive to obtain them. That is, of course, assuming that driving is even an option at this point. According to the USDA, more than two million households living in food deserts do not have access to a motor vehicle. The cost of groceries is higher for residents of urban food deserts than for households living in the suburbs.

Despite the fact that lower-income families already devote a bigger proportion of their income to food purchases, living in a food desert implies that a salary will not stretch nearly as far as it would in locations where fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats are more readily available.

Food deserts are also more likely than other locations to have the following characteristics:

• More minority residents
• Higher rates of unoccupied dwellings
• Higher rates of unemployment
• Lower levels of education among residents
• Smaller population sizes.

Although living in a food desert is not the same as being food insecure, it should be highlighted that they are related. Not everyone who lives in a food desert has difficulty obtaining nutritious meals. It is usually still an option for those who have the means and chance to do so to go to a large supermarket or have goods delivered to their door step. Individuals who live in a food desert do not necessarily have limited access to staples such as whole grains and fresh veggies. In other circumstances, such meals may be accessible, but their high cost makes them prohibitive for some people to purchase.

Impact on Health

Ironically, obesity is the most serious public health risk associated with food deserts. Given the fact that those who don’t have easy access to good foods are more likely to eat less healthfully than those who do, this makes sense. A person’s weight increases as a result of poor eating habits, which in turn leads to obesity. Being considerably overweight or obese raises a person’s risk for a wide range of health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure, among other things.

• Excessive weight may even raise your chance of developing cancer, according to one study, which estimated that 481,000 new cancer cases were diagnosed globally in 2012 as a result of being overweight or obese.
• Aside from obesity, poor eating habits throughout a kid’s first few years of life can have a substantial impact on the ability of the child to develop.
• Nutritional deficiencies in nutrients such as iron, vitamin A, and iodine have been associated to cognitive issues, weakened immune systems, and stunted growth in children and adolescents.
• The chance of having a child born with potentially catastrophic birth abnormalities increases for babies born to mothers who do not obtain enough folate throughout the first trimester of their pregnancy.
• Another issue that is sometimes disregarded when discussing food deserts is the danger they bring to people who have dietary restrictions or food allergies.
• In the United States, around 200,000 people require emergency medical care each year after inhaling or drinking something they are allergic to.
• Even while studies have identified substantial associations between a lack of supermarkets and health problems like as obesity, current research is beginning to suggest that the relationship may be far more convoluted than previously thought.

Low income and low educational attainment have also been associated to obesity outside of the setting of food deserts, and some recent research has suggested that socioeconomic status may be a more relevant factor in nutritional outcomes than access to a grocery store in some situations.

What Can Be Done?

Ironically, obesity is the most serious health risk associated with food deserts. Given the fact that those who don’t have easy access to healthful foods are more likely to eat unhealthily than those who do, this makes sense. Weighing too much and becoming obese are both consequences of poor eating habits. Having a considerable amount of body fat raises a person’s risk for developing a variety of health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. Obesity during pregnancy might increase your risk of developing issues such as gestational diabetes, hypertension, birth abnormalities, and miscarriage, among others.

1. The consequences might be seen for years to come, as children of fat parents are more likely than other children to become obese.
2. Early infancy is a time of rapid brain and body development, which necessitates the consumption of specific nutrients.
3. In addition to nutrition for children, there are other considerations to consider: The chance of having a child born with potentially catastrophic birth abnormalities is increased in babies born to women who do not obtain enough folate during the first trimester of pregnancy.
4. The risk presented to persons with dietary restrictions and food allergies is another sometimes disregarded worry concerning food deserts.
5. In the United States, around 200,000 people require emergency medical treatment each year after ingestion of or drinking something they are allergic to.
6. Even though studies have identified substantial associations between a lack of supermarkets and health concerns like as obesity, current research is beginning to indicate that the relationship may be far more convoluted than previously thought.

Low income and low educational attainment have also been associated to obesity outside of the setting of food deserts, and some recent research has suggested that socioeconomic status may be a more relevant factor in nutritional outcomes than access to a grocery store in some cases.

• Creating communal gardens
• Establishing local farmers markets
• And other initiatives Increasing public transit options from food deserts to established markets. Changing municipal laws and tax rules in order to encourage supermarkets and other healthy food shops to open their doors

However, making inexpensive nutritious food more accessible is only one component of the answer. If low-income communities had better access to higher-quality food, according to one estimate, the disparity in nutritional status would be reduced by nine percent. Why? Because while building supermarkets in formerly food desert areas may provide better food alternatives to the community, it does not necessarily result in a shift in people’s food-purchasing behavior. Families that relocate to an area where healthy eating is the norm and where healthy foods are readily available do not suffer from this problem.

• Creating a menu of items that the entire family can like takes time, as many parents will agree, and upsetting that habit will need much more than simply constructing a store nearby.
• Food is a very cultural and personal experience for everyone.
• In order to effect any significant change, nutrition education should be developed with these traditions in mind, while also taking care to respect the deeply ingrained cultural norms that exist in every group, as described above.
• Getting families to join in a community garden, for example, would not be possible in a neighborhood where many adults work several jobs and have little spare time to contribute.

Food Deserts vs. Food Swamps

Following the revelations concerning food deserts, some nutritional gap researchers are moving their attention away from a lack of healthy food alternatives and toward an abundance of bad food options instead. These locations, which have been termed “food swamps,” are not only devoid of grocery shops, but they are also densely packed with fast food restaurants and convenience stores. These locations have been associated to worse diets, and the existence of these places may be an even better predictor of obesity rates than the absence of supermarkets, since the in-your-face availability of bad food alternatives effectively negates any benefits that an increase in grocery shops may provide.

While some communities have focused their efforts on attracting grocery shops, others have attempted to go where people already buy for groceries, encouraging corner stores and petrol stations to devote more shelf space to inexpensive, fresh fruit.

Another option is to put up mobile farmers’ markets that look like food trucks that can be driven out to hard-to-reach places so that locals don’t have to go out of their way to get nutritious foods.

A Word From Verywell

Understanding that every community is unique and, as a result, will require a unique combination of measures for solving both food deserts and food swamps is critical to effectively addressing both. It may seem nice in principle, but opening a food shop in every community may prove to be unfeasible or unneeded in fact, depending on the circumstances. Helping families find nutritious, cheap, and practical meals will necessitate the development of novel solutions, but it is critical to the preservation and improvement of the health of communities for future generations.

Food Deserts*

In recognition of the problem with the term “food desert,” which according to the USDA is defined primarily by proximity to food providers without taking into account other factors such as racism, cost of living, people being time and cash poor, cultural appropriateness of available foods, people’s ability to grow their own foods and so on, the Food Empowerment Project (F.E.P.) has developed a model that takes into account all of these factors.

• Food Apartheid and Food Oppression are more appropriate phrases, according to the Food and Environment Project, but because food desert is the term that is most widely used, we have chosen to use it as our title.
• The Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture recently issued a report for Congress that found that 2.3 million persons (or 2.2 percent of all US families) live more than one mile distant from a supermarket and do not have access to a vehicle.
• However, economic forces have driven grocery stores out of many cities in recent years, making them so few and far between that a single person’s food shopping trip may require taking multiple buses or trains.
• As demonstrated by the Food Empowerment Project’s study, “Shining a Light on the Valley of Heart’s Delight(PDF),” it is easy to ignore towns that are located in food deserts when depending solely on statistics gathered by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Thus, a municipality with no supermarket and just two corner grocery stores that sell booze and food would be considered to have two retail food outlets, even though the variety of foods served may be relatively restricted and consist primarily of fast food.” Residents of food deserts may also have difficulty locating foods that are culturally appropriate for them, and dietary restrictions, such as lactose intolerance, gluten allergies, and other food sensitivities, may limit the food options available to those who do not have access to larger chain stores that offer a wider variety of foods and ingredients.

In addition, research have indicated that urban residents who shop for food at small neighborhood businesses spend between 3 and 37 percent more than suburbanites who shop for the same things at supermarkets, depending on the commodity.

For example, whereas the total price of fruits and vegetables in the United States climbed by over 75% between 1989 and 2005, the overall price of fatty meals decreased by more than 26% during the same period.

While unhealthy eating may be more cost-effective in the short term, the long-term consequences of limited access to healthy foods are one of the primary reasons that ethnic minorities and low-income populations have statistically higher rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other diet-related conditions than the general population in the United States.

Only twenty years ago, type 2 diabetes was almost unknown among those under the age of 40.

Among recent years, the incidence of type 2 diabetes has increased across all demographic groups; however, the highest increases have been seen in black and brown populations.

These are also the populations that are most likely to live in food deserts, and studies have shown a clear link between food insecurity and an increase in the number of people who develop diabetes.

In order to explain this discrepancy, researchers emphasize that the high-calorie foods that are most readily available in food deserts put residents living in these areas at greater risk for diabetes in the first place, and that having limited access to healthy foods also makes it more difficult for them to manage diabetes once they are diagnosed with the disease.

One of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease is a diet rich in unhealthy fats and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is characterised by the sorts of food that are typically accessible in food desert areas.

As a result of the higher incidence of obesity in food desert regions, even children and adolescents living in those areas are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (both now and when they reach maturity), according to the American Heart Association.

As part of the “Let’s Move” campaign to address childhood obesity, First Lady Michelle Obama has set a goal of eliminating food deserts by 2017, with a $400 million government investment centered on granting tax benefits to supermarkets that establish in low-income neighborhoods as a part of the program.

Chicago– In food deserts, more than 500,000 persons (most of whom are African-American) live, and an additional 400,000 live in communities where there are a disproportionate number of fast food businesses and no grocery stores nearby.

Along with offering fresh and organic fruits and vegetables, bulk whole grains and beans, and soy-based meat substitutes, some of these stores (such as Fresh Family Foods, located on the city’s South Side) also provide cooking and nutrition classes to educate the public about making nutritious food choices.

• Because fewer fast food restaurants were available, there was a greater demand for more and better food options.
• So far, these measures have been successful in bringing the first new grocery to South L.A.
• New York City is a city that has a lot of things to offer.
• Increased rents and shrinking profit margins have caused supermarkets throughout New York City to close in recent years.
• Since 2008, the city has been operating its Green Carts initiative, which has been distributing inexpensive fresh fruits and vegetables to impoverished communities while also offering employment opportunities for vendor participants.
• What can I do if I live in an area where there is no access to food?
• To begin, it’s a good idea to talk about alternative choices, such as producing your own food or collaborating with local businesses to provide healthy, vegan meals.

You can also contact out to others who have worked on this subject if you want to learn more.

The Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture published a report in 2009 titled Bryan provided this information on August 25, 2017.

“Neighborhood features linked with the location of food shops and food service establishments,” by K., S.

The American Journal of Preventive Medicine published its first issue in January 2002, with pages 23-29.

(Robert D.) (editor).

173.ttp: The following URL: https://books.google.com/books?id=NAcmSchlTOYC pg=PA173 lpg=PA173 dq=It+has–been+shown.

The date is June 12, 2008.

The LaSalle Bank commissioned the research.

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and Mortality.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

2011 Diabetes Fact Sheet from the Mayo Clinic.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The number of newly diagnosed cases of type 1 and type 2 diabetes is increasing among children and teenagers.

According to a report published on December 6, 2017, the number of newly diagnosed cases of type 1 and type 2 diabetes is increasing among children and teenagers.

Basics was accessed on the 6th of December, 2017.” The American Diabetes Association has a website.

“Bringing Healthy Fare to Big-City ‘Food Deserts.’ Diabetes Predictions for December 2009.

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lvlid=19(3/05/11) The Office of Minority Health.

Obesity.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a report in 2008 titled “Everyone took a stand.” The White House Blog, published on February 20, 2010.

“Examining the Impact of Food Deserts on Public Health in Chicago,” a research project in which The study was commissioned by LaSalle Bank and completed in 2006.

“Would a Walmart be able to alleviate the food insecurity issues in West Oakland and Nashville?” The Los Angeles Times, 5 October 2010.

Kim.

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The New York Times published an article on January 15, 2011.

A report published in The New York Times on March 20, 2009, with the sq=food percent 20deserts st=cse(4/02/11).

“Measuring food deserts in New York City’s low-income areas,” New York City Department of City Planning, 2008.

“Measuring food deserts in New York City’s low-income communities.” Page 697 to 700 in Health Place, March 2011. Vol. 17(2), page 697 to 700. Jeff. “Can other cities follow New York’s lead in introducing vegetable carts into food deserts?” The New York Times published an article on March 11, 2010.

Exploring America’s Food Deserts

It is recognized that the term “food desert,” as defined by the USDA, does not adequately account for other factors such as racism, the cost of living, people’s lack of time and money, the cultural appropriateness of the foods available, and the ability to grow one’s own food, among others. The Food Empowerment Project (F.E.P.) is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering people through the cultivation of food. Food oppression and food apartheid are more appropriate phrases, according to the Food & Environment Project, but because food desert is the term that is most widely used, we have chosen to use it as our title for the sake of consistency.

According to a report provided for Congress by the Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, about 2.3 million persons (or 2.2 percent of all US families) live more than one mile distant from a supermarket and do not have access to a vehicle.

However, economic forces have driven grocery stores out of many cities in recent years, making them so few and far between that an individual’s food shopping trip may require taking several buses or trains to get there.

The paper “Shaking a Light on the Valley of Heart’s Delight(PDF)” by the Food Empowerment Project demonstrates that when depending on statistics collected by the United States government, it is possible to ignore populations that are located in food deserts.

Thus, a municipality with no supermarket and just two corner grocery stores that sell booze and food would be considered to have two retail food outlets, even though the variety of foods supplied may be quite restricted and consist primarily of junk food.” The food choices available to those who live in food deserts may be limited as a result of dietary restrictions such as lactose intolerance or gluten allergies, among other things.

1. People who do not have access to larger chain stores with a wider variety of foods may also find it difficult to find foods that are culturally appropriate for them.
2. When compared to unhealthful meals, healthier options are typically more expensive, which is especially true in food deserts.
3. The increased cost of nutritious foods, on the other hand, frequently puts them out of reach for individuals on lower incomes, despite the fact that food inflation has stretched the food budgets of many families regardless of their financial situation.
4. Twenty years ago, type 2 diabetes was essentially nonexistent among persons under the age of 40.
5. In recent years, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes has increased across all demographic groups; however, the highest increases have been seen in black and brown populations.
6. Additionally, these are the groups most likely to live in food deserts, and studies have found a clear link between food insecurity and an increase in the number of people who develop diabetes.

In order to explain this discrepancy, researchers emphasize that the high-calorie foods that are most readily available in food deserts put residents living in these areas at greater risk for diabetes in the first place, and that having limited access to healthy foods makes it more difficult for them to manage diabetes once they have been diagnosed with the disease.

1. Diets heavy in unhealthy fats and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, such as the sorts of food typically found in food deserts, are one of the most significant contributors to cardiovascular disease.
2. As a result of the higher incidence of obesity in food desert regions, even children and adolescents living in those areas are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (both now and when they become adults).
3. As part of the “Let’s Move” program to battle kid obesity, First Lady Michelle Obama has set a goal of eliminating food deserts by 2017, with a $400 million government investment centered on granting tax advantages to supermarkets that establish in low-income neighborhoods.
4. Chicago– In food deserts, more than 500,000 inhabitants (most of them are African-American) live, and an additional 400,000 live in areas where there are a disproportionate number of fast food outlets and no grocery shops in the immediate vicinity.

Along with offering fresh and organic fruits and vegetables, bulk whole grains and legumes, and soy-based meat alternatives, some of these supermarkets (such as Fresh Family Foods on Chicago’s South Side) also provide cooking and nutrition seminars to educate the public about choosing good food choices.

• Los Angeles City Council enacted a ban on new fast food establishments in a 32-square-mile zone that encompasses some of the city’s most dry food deserts, an area in which around 97% of the population is either Latino, African-American, or of mixed racial and ethnic backgrounds.
• So far, these measures have been successful in bringing the first new grocery to South Los Angeles in more than a decade to the neighborhood.
• It is estimated that 750,000 people in New York City live in food deserts, and that around three million people live in areas where fresh produce outlets are scarce or far away.
• However, the disappearance of urban grocery stores has had the greatest impact on low-income communities, particularly those that are predominantly African-American (such as East/Central Harlem and Northern/Central Brooklyn).
• In food deserts, hundreds of Green Carts have already been deployed, and the number is constantly expanding as potential vendors complete training, receive licenses, and obtain local approvals.
• As soon as you discover that you live in a food desert, you may begin by educating individuals in your community about what this entails and brainstorming ideas for how to make a positive difference.
• Bringing your thoughts and concerns to the attention of policymakers—city council members, state lawmakers, and so on—is equally vital.

You can get in touch with us if you’re interested in utilizing the Food Empowerment Project’s survey, which served as the foundation for our study “Shaking a Light on the Valley of Heart’s Delight(PDF).” References: “Access to Affordable and Nutritious Food: Measuring and Understanding Food Deserts and Their Consequences” is the title of a paper published in the journal Food Research and Technology.

• Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
• A study of neighborhood features linked with the placement of food stores and food service establishments was published in the journal “Neighborhood Characteristics Associated with the Location of Food Stores and Food Service Establishments” by K.
• Wing et al.
• 22(1), pages 23-29), the authors discuss Robert D.
• In Growing Smarter: Achieving Livable Communities, Environmental Justice, and Regional Equity, published by The MIT Press in 2007, p.
• https://books.
• (3/05/11) “It Isn’t Just Genetics,” says Bryan Walsh.

Examining the Impact of Food Deserts on Public Health in Chicago is a paper written by Mari.

statistics on the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in the United States from 2003 to 2006 2 diabetes: Causes.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

2 diabetes: Causes.” CDC National Center for Health Statistics, 2010.

2011.

on the 17th of April, 2017 Newly diagnosed instances of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are on the rise among children and teenagers, according to data obtained on December 06, 2017.

Association for Type 2 Diabetes (A2D).

“Bringing Healthy Fare to Major City’s ‘Food Deserts.'” November 2009: Diabetes Predictions.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Truth About Fats: The Good, the Bad, and the In-Between,” May 2010.

In 2015, Harvard Health Publications published an article on the topic.

lvlid=19(3/05/11) lvlid=19(3/05/11) The Office of Minority Health.

Estimates of the population are presented in “QuickFacts: Population Estimates.” As of July 1, 2016 according to the United States Census Bureau.

Mari.

The LaSalle Bank commissioned the study, which was conducted in 2006.

“Would a Walmart be able to alleviate the food insecurity issues in West Oakland and Nashville?

In the year 2010, the Almanac of the City of Los Angeles was released.

A fast food intervention is staged in Los Angeles.

sq=food percent 20deserts st=cse(4/02/11) sq=food percent 20deserts st=cse(4/02/11) sq=food percent 20deserts sq=food percent 20deserts sq=food percent 20deserts sq=food percent 20deserts sq=food percent 20deserts sq=food percent ‘In South Los Angeles, New Fast-Food Spots Get a ‘No, Thank You,'” Jennifer Medina writes in her piece.

(4/02/11) “Fresh Food for Urban Deserts” is the title of the project.

“Going to Market: New York City’s Neighborhood Grocery Store and Supermarket Shortage,” a report by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, was published in April.

C., Purciel-Hill, M., and colleagues Vol. 17(2), pages 696-700 in Health Place, March 2011. Jeff. “Can other cities follow New York’s lead in bringing veggie carts to food deserts?” According to the New York Times, the 11th of March, 2010.

What is a food desert?

Geographic areas where individuals have few to no easy choices for obtaining economical and healthful meals — particularly fresh fruits and vegetables — are known as food deserts. Food deserts, which are disproportionately prevalent in high-poverty regions, offer additional, everyday obstacles that can make it more difficult for children, families, and communities to develop healthy and strong.

Where are food deserts located?

Food deserts are more likely in places that have the following characteristics:

• Smaller populations
• Greater rates of abandoned or unoccupied dwellings
• Inhabitants with lower levels of education, lower incomes, and higher rates of unemployment
• And residents with lower levels of education, lower incomes, and higher rates of unemployment

According to a 2014 research conducted by Johns Hopkins University, food deserts are also a disproportionate reality for Black communities in the United States. The study compared census tracts in the United States with similar poverty levels and discovered that, in urban areas, Black communities had the fewest supermarkets, while white communities had the most, and multiracial communities fell in the middle of the supermarket count spectrum, according to the findings.

How are food deserts identified?

When diagnosing food deserts, researchers take a number of criteria into consideration, including:

• Access to food, as measured by the distance between a store and a residence or by the number of stores in a neighborhood
• Resources available to a household, such as family income or the availability of a vehicle
• Resource availability in the area, such as the average income of residents and the availability of public transit

Access to food, as defined by the distance between a shop and a residence or by the number of stores in a certain region; Ressources available to a household, such as family income or a vehicle; Resource availability in the area, such as the average income of residents and the presence of public transit;

Mapping food deserts in the United States

The Food at Home study by Enterprise Community Partners is the source of this information.

How many Americans live in food deserts?

According to the USDA’s most recent food access study report, released in 2017, about 39.5 million people — or 12.8 percent of the country’s population — were living in low-income and low-access regions. There were 19 million persons in this category, according to the researchers, accounting for 6.2 percent of the nation’s total population who did not have easy access to a supermarket or grocery store.

Why do food deserts exist?

There is no one cause of food deserts, although there are a number of variables that contribute to their occurrence. Among these are:

• Low-income households are less likely than other families to have dependable transportation, which might prohibit people from going greater distances to shop for goods. Small corner stores, convenience markets, and fast food vendors are more common in low-income neighborhoods, which provide less nutritious food alternatives for residents. An additional risk is associated with the establishment of a supermarket or food store chain, and this risk might develop to prohibitive proportions in low-income communities. As an illustration: Over the course of a month, the spending power of consumers in these neighborhoods — which includes families enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — might fluctuate drastically. A business’s insurance expenses and security expenditures might be increased as a result of the prospect of increased crime rates, whether genuine or perceived. Inequality of income – Healthy food is more expensive. The healthiest diets — those consisting primarily of vegetables, fruits, fish, and nuts — were found to be on average $1.50 per day more expensive per day than diets consisting primarily of processed foods, meat, and refined grains, according to a study conducted by researchers from Brown University and Harvard University. Nutritious food may be out of reach for some families that live paycheck to paycheck because of the greater expense of healthy food, even when it is easily available.

How has the coronavirus pandemic impacted food access?

Even more hurdles — both logistical and financial — were introduced into the already complicated sector of food availability as a result of the coronavirus epidemic. Restaurants, corner stores, and food markets, among other businesses, were forced to lock their doors or decrease their operation hours as the number of COVID-19 instances increased across the country. For those who depended on public transit to get food, there were extra obstacles to overcome, including increased travel limits and reduced service schedules.

According to the Brookings Institution’s Fall 2020 food insecurity update, over 10% of parents with just young children — children aged five and under — reported having inadequate food for their family and insufficient means to acquire more food.

What solutions to food deserts can be pursued?

Eating habits and patterns are affected by environmental, policy, and human variables, according to Joel Gittelsohn, a public health specialist at Johns Hopkins University who specializes in chronic disease prevention and management.

Some techniques for relieving food desert situations exist within this complicated environment, and they are as follows:

• Providing financial incentives to food stores and supermarkets in underprivileged regions Providing funding for city-wide initiatives to promote better eating
• Increasing support for local, neighborhood-based businesses such as corner shops and farmers markets
• When selecting food desert metrics, regulations, and interventions, it is important to consult with the community. Increasing the number of clients who may utilize their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program subsidies to purchase food online through pilot programs

Casey Foundation resources on food insecurity and food access

Among the issues addressed in theKids, Families, and COVID-19KIDS COUNT ®policy study are pandemic pain points such as an increase in food poverty across the country. Casey Foundation-funded report Food at Home examines the possibility of utilizing inexpensive housing as a platform to solve nutritional issues. Among the topics covered in the booklet are food deserts and their impact on communities around the United States. According to a September 2019 Data Snapshot, there are many actions that leaders may take to assist families living in high-poverty, low-opportunity neighborhoods to succeed.

What Is a Food Desert?

TheKids, Families, and COVID-19KIDS COUNT ®policy study identifies pandemic pain areas, such as an increase in food insecurity across the United States, in particular. Using cheap housing as a platform to solve nutritional difficulties is the subject of Food at Home, a Casey-funded report. Food deserts and their influence on communities across the United States are discussed in the article. According to a September 2019 Data Snapshot, there are several actions that leaders may take to assist families living in high-poverty, low-opportunity neighborhoods in order to prosper.

Have You Ever Wondered.

• TheKids, Families, and COVID-19KIDS COUNT ®policy study identifies pandemic pain spots, such as an increase in food insecurity across the United States. Using cheap housing as a platform to solve nutritional difficulties is the focus of Food at Home, a Casey-funded report. Among the topics covered in the booklet are food deserts and their impact on communities across the United States. A September 2019 Data Snapshotprovides recommendations for actions that leaders may take to assist families living in high-poverty, low-opportunity neighborhoods in order to prosper. The KIDS COUNT Data Center provides national information on children and food insecurity.

Alex was the inspiration for today’s Wonder of the Day. “What is the point of having food?” Alex wonders. Alex, thank you for sharing your WONDER with us! In your mind, what comes to mind when you hear the word “desert?” It’s natural to think about ice cream, chocolate, cake, or pie when you’re hungry. But you’re thinking of “dessert,” not “desert,” if that’s what you mean. The term “desert” may conjure up images of sand and cactus. There are several deserts in the world, which are locations that receive relatively little rainfall throughout the year.

1. A desert, on the other hand, does not have to be hot and sand-filled.
2. We may also use the term “desert” in a different context.
3. It is in these areas that inhabitants do not have easy access to inexpensive, nutritious food.
4. Consider the last time you made a trip to the grocery store for inspiration.
5. The chances are that you didn’t have to travel very far.
6. They are more likely to appear in low-income neighborhoods.
7. A large number of fast-food restaurants and convenience stores can be found in food deserts in place of grocery stores.

Instead, they frequently sell highly processed goods that are heavy in sugar and fat.

According to experts, this adds to a wide range of health problems for the individuals who live in these places.

Food deserts contribute to food insecurity as well.

When you live in a food desert, it might be difficult to consume regular, nutritious meals.

Food deserts are a complex issue that will require a multifaceted approach.

There are a variety of approaches to get good, inexpensive food into these communities, ranging from community gardens to mobile food pantries.

What is the distance between your house and the nearest food store?

Inquire about how you can assist in bringing more food to your community.

Common Core, Next Generation Science Standards, and the National Council for the Social Studies.”> Standards:CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.R.4, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.SL.1, CCRA.SL.2, CCRA.SL.3, CCRA.SL.4, CCRA.SL.5, CCRA.SL.6, CCRA.SL.7, CCRA.SL.8, CCRA.SL.9,

Wonder What’s Next?

Some of you may recognize tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day, which we feel will be a surprise to no one!

Try It Out

Are you ready to learn more? Are you ready to learn more? Ensure that you and a grownup friend or family member participate in the activities listed below:

• Are you interested in learning more about food deserts? Food Deserts in America Infographic Online: Get the skinny on vital data concerning food deserts in the United States by viewing this infographic. What, in your opinion, are the most important issues that persons who live in food deserts must deal with? Explain what you’ve learnt to a friend or member of your family. When it comes to the United States, where are food deserts located? Visit the Food Desert Locator online, which is maintained by the United States Department of Agriculture, to find out more. The ability to see food deserts on a map of the United States, as well as alter variables such as income and access, will be available to you. What is the location of the food desert that is nearest to you? What can you do to be of assistance
• Having learnt about food deserts and some of the initiatives being undertaken to address the challenges associated with them, you should devise your own plan of action to combat food deserts in your local community. Create a brainstorming session with a friend or family member to create ideas for potential solutions to food deserts in your community and throughout the world.

Wonder Sources

Please accept our sincere gratitude to Happy, Kadia, and Elizabeth for their contributions to the Wonder subject of the day! Continue to WONDER with us! What exactly are you puzzling over?

What Is a Food Desert and Why Do Food Deserts Exist?

The phrase “food desert” is said to have been coined in the early 1990s by a resident of a Scottish public housing development. Public health activists, philanthropists, food merchants, and politicians in the United States used the phrase “food desert” in the 2000s, and it was included in the 2008 Farm Bill (the Food Conservation and Energy Act of 2008), which was signed into law by President George W. Bush. Even though the statute instructed the United States Department of Agriculture (UDSA) to define the word in a report, the concept was never formally adopted into federal legislation.

Food policy specialists, particularly those who have lived in working-class and lower-income communities with limited access to grocery shops and supermarkets, are increasingly dismissive of the phrase “food desert.” According to food justice campaigners in the United States, such as Karen Washington, a more accurate word is “food apartheid.” Food apartheid is a term used to characterize the human-enforced nature of a situation that disproportionately harms Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color due to the way in which food systems are designed and implemented.

Recognition of food apartheid entails the identification of “race and anti-blackness as the core of systemic food and land oppression,” as well a need for social change methods that are “based in organization and direct action,” according to Beatriz Beckford’s WhyHungerin 2015 article.

Concentrating attention on “food deserts,” according to Washingon and other front-line activists, diverts attention away from the core causes of social inequality, such as economic practices that fail to invest in the training and assistance of inhabitants in disadvantaged communities.

What Is a Food Desert?

When the USDA defined food deserts in 2011, it meant that they were areas where: 1. many people were living on low incomes; 2. at least 500 individuals, or one-third of the population, lived more than a mile from a supermarket or grocery store; and 3. many people were living on a fixed income. A census tract might be considered low-income if at least one-fifth of its population were living at or below the poverty line, according to one of the criteria for qualifying. In 2013, the USDA discontinued the use of the phrase “food desert” and instead referred to such areas as “low-income and low-access” communities.

The relationship between food deserts and diet-related chronic illnesses and health inequities has traditionally served as the basis for research into food deserts.

What Is the Difference Between Food Deserts and Food Swamps?

A food swamp is defined as a place with a high concentration of fast food outlets and a low concentration of grocery shops. Rather than focusing on the absence of grocery shops in a neighborhood, the phrase “food swamp” refers to the overabundance of unhealthy food alternatives available in a given area. The word “food swamp,” like the term “food desert,” is a metaphor that depends on the concept of a naturally existing biome to describe a situation. Neither phrase accurately describes the artificial circumstances that exist in communities where people live in poverty and have limited access to inexpensive, healthy meals.

Why Do Food Deserts Exist?

When you hear the term “food swamp,” you’re referring to a place where there are a lot of fast food restaurants but not many groceries. In contrast to the phrase “food desert,” which refers to a shortage of grocery shops, “food swamp” refers to an excess of unhealthy food alternatives in a given neighborhood. The word “food swamp” is a metaphor that, like the term “food desert,” is based on the concept of a naturally occurring biome. It is none of these terms that really describes the artificial circumstances of areas where people live in poverty and have limited access to inexpensive and fresh goods.

Where Are Food Deserts Most Common?

Census tracts with low income and limited access to grocery stores were concentrated in the South, according to a USDA analysis of 2015 data: Mississippi, New Mexico, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama, Alaska, South Carolina (including North Carolina), Texas (including Oklahoma), and New Mexico (including New Mexico and Arkansas). Most of the top 10 metropolitan areas with the largest proportion of such census tracts were likewise clustered in the southern and southwestern United States, with the exception of Muskegon, Michigan, which came in sixth with a 38 percent share.

How Many Food Deserts Are There in the U.S.?

USDA scientists found that in 2015, there were 9,245 census tracts in the United States (12 percent) that satisfied the criterion of both high poverty and limited access to food stores, which is a typical approach to designate food deserts, according to their calculations.

How Many Americans Live in Food Deserts?

According to USDA researchers, in 2015, there were an estimated 39.4 million persons living in census tracts where large segments of the population were poor and also lived a long distance from a grocery store.

What Are the Impacts of Food Deserts?

Whenever full-service grocery store operators determine that it is not economically sustainable to operate in a low-income community, residents confront greater transportation hurdles to get the produce that was previously available in that neighborhood.

When supermarket owners pull out of communities, residents who are left with little retail access to fresh fruits and vegetables may be forced to rely on convenience stores, which are predominantly stocked with highly processed goods that are low in nutritious value.

Food Desert Facts

• Whenever full-service grocery store owners determine that it is not economically sustainable to operate in a low-income community, locals confront increasing transportation hurdles to acquire the produce that was previously available at their establishment. When supermarket owners pull out of communities, residents who are left with little retail access to fresh fruits and vegetables may be forced to rely on convenience stores, which are mostly stocked with highly processed items that are lacking in nutritious value.

What Are the Possible Solutions For Food Deserts?

Food deserts may be addressed in a number of ways, one of which is to cease referring to the problem as “food deserts” and instead refer to it as “food apartheid.” As Malik Yakini demonstrates in a video for the 2020 Center for Nutrition Studies, the term “food desert” has various flaws that should be avoided. In contrast to the word “food desert,” which refers to a lack of food retail establishments in a town, the term “desert” refers to a flourishing environment. The alternative is a description of “food apartheid” by Dara Cooper, which outlines the “systematic eradication of Black self-determination to govern our food,” predatory marketing techniques, and a “racist, corporate-controlled food system” among other things.

According to Forman, authorities must seek “community involvement and community control in growing, procuring, and marketing nutritious food” in order to redress the disparities caused by food apartheid.

The study of famines in developing nations, which happened despite the abundance of food made available by the Green Revolution, sparked the idea of food access as a policy issue in the 1970s.

While the Green Revolution is celebrated for its technological advances in the mass production of food, it is also remembered for introducing industrial agricultural techniques such as monocropping, herbicides, and fertilizers into food systems across the world.

Food access is related to broad and highly political questions, according to the review.

People enrolled in programs such as food stamps (SNAP) might also benefit from increases in benefits, and policymakers should step up efforts to make school lunch and breakfast programs completely free.

Where Do We Go From Here?

A food desert is a low-income community that lacks supermarkets or grocery shops. Because of the difficulties in obtaining inexpensive, fresh produce and healthful meals in these areas, these neighborhoods are frequently seen as less desirable locations to reside. This lack of a supermarket is also a symptom of a larger problem that has been described by Beatriz Beckford as “a system of food apartheid in black and brown communities across the country, such as the Bronx, New York, Jackson, Mississippi, and Baltimore, Maryland, where politically sanctioned redlining restricts access to healthy food” (Beckett, 2009).

Finally, expanding access to nutritious food is a multi-issue concern that crosses the boundaries of public health, food access, and other social justice movements, and it entails addressing injustices that have arisen as a result of colonization, racism, and other systems of oppression.