New report documents "food deserts" in US cities

Christine White
Institute for Food and Development Policy - Food First
(http://www.foodfirst.org)
July 9, 2009

Food deserts – a term used for communities that have limited access to affordable and nutritious food - are real places and they are affecting the health of millions of Americans. Found in both rural areas and urban clusters, food deserts are defined by their distances from large grocery stores and other supermarkets selling a variety of fresh produce and healthy food options. Deserts primarily form around low-income populations where families live on tight budgets and lack a reliable means of transportation.

In recent years there has been a growing concern over the health and dietary intake within food desert communities. Many studies have shown a strong relationship between access to full-service grocery stores and poor diets. And it’s no secret that obesity and other health-related diseases are on the rise and one of our nation’s most severe public health challenges.

With these concerns and bleak national health statistics in mind, the USDA conducted a one-year study on food deserts, their characteristics, causes and possible policy solutions. Researchers identified the location of supermarkets and grocery stores in the US, examined households without vehicles and specific socio-economic populations (2000 consensus), and reviewed national level data questions of household food adequacy and access. The study was recently published in June 2009 and its findings have sparked some serious conversations about food deserts and their implications on our nation’s health.

Here are a few of the USDA findings from the June 2009 report:

2.3 million (2.2%) of all U.S. households live more than a mile from a supermarket and do not have access to a vehicle
3.4 million (3.2%) of all U.S. households live between .5 to a mile and do not have access to a vehicle
4.4% of households in rural areas live more than 1 mile from the supermarket AND do not have access to a vehicle.
22% - Percent of households in low income urban areas living 1/2 to 1 mile from a supermarket with no access to a vehicle.
2001 survey found that nearly 6 percent of U.S. households did not always have food due to access related problems.

All in all the USDA study was unable to determine a causal relationship between food access and diet - but this should in no way discredit the existence of food deserts – it only changes the discussion. Now, more than ever, it’s important to look at communities and their food environment as a whole. We must not only consider the limited access to healthy food options in these areas, but also their availability to fast food chains and convenience stores. Our nation’s food deserts are overwhelmed by golden arches and the like – and over access to bad food is as much a problem as under-access to healthy options. The dynamics of food deserts are complex, and solutions won’t be easy - but they are achievable solutions and will be a critical step in changing the way America eats.