Food Deserts Analysis

In terms of governmental involvement in the management of food deserts, we argue that very little has been done legislatively by the Metro Nashville and Davidson county government. Despite the fact that several areas in the Davidson County have been identified as food deserts by the USDA, little to no legislation has been created to combat the problem and its effects on the health of its citizens. Edgehill has been put on the USDA map of food deserts, because it qualifies “as a “low-access community,” [where] at least 500 people and/or at least 33 percent of the census tract's population must reside more than one mile from a supermarket or large grocery store (for rural census tracts, the distance is more than 10 miles)” (USDA). However, the

Is Syracuse's “food desert” still a problem? Well, not so much. With a brand new supermarket people can say the city of syracuse is no longer a food desert. But this is just a start, a strong step in the right direction. Sarah Moses explains “The grocery store at 611 South Ave. will be located in an area that community leaders have called a "food desert" because of a lack of affordable grocery stores within easy walking distance for the area's many low-income residents, many of whom do not own cars.” This can force people to buy food at corner stores with high prices and no healthy options. The researchers were trying to find if ethnicity and race are active factors in how people buy food. They believed that ethnicity does have a significant role in how food is purchased. Different ethnic groups will buy different foods at different stores in different places based on their culture.

Food Deserts In Low-Income Neighborhoods A food desert is where part of an area doesn’t have fresh vegetables or fruit and other healthy foods available near them. A food desert is basically a lack of vegetables and fruit. In the article What is a food desert? by Beck Derison, she states that a food desert is determined by “Race, socio-economic standing, location, and your access to transportation”.

Food desert are urban, suburb, and rural boroughs without ready access to fresh healthy and economical food. The communities that are considered food deserts, has no grocery stores or supermarkets within a walking distance from their household. The families that live in those areas do not have access to transportation; therefore, they consume food that is accessible, which is usually processed. Most stores that people, living in a food desert, go to is convenience stores, which are usually near their households, and are accessible to some healthy foods. Another, place where many people receive their food from is fast food, and the food from those places is greasy and fattening. The lack of access to healthy food could lead to a lot of disasters,

This case study scenario describes the issue of “food deserts”, which are the areas that have limited to no access to fresh nutritional food options consisting of a population, of people whom have lack of transportation, in poverty, or have limited access to healthier food choices. The research question I would use for this study would be, Are children whom have lack of transportation, are in poverty, or have limited access to healthy foods have an increased risk for obesity, compared to those who are able to purchase healthier food options? I would have to compare the results of those participants who do have easier access to heathier foods, to determine if those variables are a cause for the “food deserts”.

The concept of a Food Desert is not new, “British politicians introduced the idea of food deserts in the mid-1990s… suggested a link might exist between distance to a grocery store and the diets of poor people” (Gilligan, 2014). It took many years before the idea of a Food Desert was recognized in the United States of America but it is now estimated that, “About 23.5 million people live in food deserts” ("11 Facts About Food Deserts | DoSomething.org | Volunteer for Social Change," n.d.). The inability to obtain healthy food choices leads to, “people in low-income communities [suffering] more from diet-related diseases like obesity and diabetes” (Truehaft & Karpyn, 5, n.d.). The existence of these Food Deserts is a factor that works to keep those in poverty down and makes progress even harder for them to

Our findings do not fully support our hypotheses, due to some external factors. However, according to previous studies, we still believe that food deserts and fast food densities can affect the health status of residents in communities.

In a Policy Forum article published in PLOS Medicine, Jason Block and S V Subramanian, from Harvard University, United States, stated that the self-motivation to put an end to food deserts in low-income, geographic communities that do not have access to a large grocery store, may not have an effect on enhancing dietary quality or lessen the great difference in the diet quality.

Hundreds of thousands of Chicagoans live in what’s known as a food desert. A food desert is in an area of focus that is short on access to fresh meat and produce. These areas are usually over populated with packaged and processed foods, which are not always healthy. They also have a significant amount junk that you can easily find in convenience stores and fast food restaurants.

Food deserts are one of the main causes of obesity in lower income areas, and while initiatives are being created to solve this problem, more than just a few initiatives are needed to change the obesity issue.

Some students believed that College Park is not a food desert or should not be considered a food desert because there is access to healthy food in the area and making good dietary choices should not be a problem for students. These students contradict the social norm of college students eating out and having an unhealthy diet. There is a general belief that college students do not have financial stability, eat ramen noodles and other quick, microwavable food items, and go to fast food restaurants regularly. Academics are the main priority for college students, so some students do not have a job and primarily focus on their education. These students may receive money from elsewhere, such as family members or a financial aid refund. Students

Medicare has a thin line when it comes to covering obesity, but it seems to become harder to receive coverage. According to an overview entitled “Obesity”, it “Is a condition where the body of a mammal has stored so much energy that the fatty tissues are stored and expanding to create a significant health risk, with an increased rate of mortality to the body” (Gale Encyclopedia of Science 2014). After years of living with obesity, it can eventually be fatal, or develop more health hazards such as diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, and osteoarthritis. Mildly obese begins after becoming 20% above ideal weight. With the use of Medicare and government fundings, we can prevent food deserts, support programs needed for the people, and include psychological coverage.

Low-income residents with very little access to healthy food items are commonly known as “food deserts”. Definitions of this term may very but the phrase was first used in 1990 by researchers in the United Kingdom. “Food deserts” became a popular word in the United States by 2003 to describe certain areas of Mississippi that were nowhere near supermarkets. The United States Department of Agriculture recognized “food deserts” as regions with very little access to affordable and nutritious foods, predominantly communities with low incomes. The purpose of the study is to determine problem areas in the Puget Sound region, focusing on transportation and how they aid or interfere with this access. Potential “food deserts” are immediately identified based on transportation ability, low-income residents and health conditions surrounding the area. Limited access to purchase fresh and nutritious food items can lead to poor diets and adverse health effects such as obesity, diabetes and many others. Obesity is a leading health concern with conditions existing between gender, race and economic status. Identifying certain locations with low access to healthy foods can help to develop a strategy to get rid of food deserts. Projected populations in the Puget Sound region are expected to rise another 1.7 million people by the year 2040. With this estimated growth increases the need to act quickly in addressing the problem to combat food deserts now and in the future.

In its study, Examining the Impact of Food Deserts on Public Health in Chicago, the Mari Gallagher Research and Consulting Group found that, “communities that have no or distant grocery stores, or have an imbalance of healthy food options, will likely have increased premature death and chronic health conditions ” Currently the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA's) Economic Research Service approximations that 23.5 million people live in food deserts. Essentially, lack of access to affordable and healthy food options inevitably impacts the overall health of the whole family. The healthcare system suffers financially as a result of chronic health diseases which are influenced by lifestyle choices. A study conducted by Koplan and Fleming in 2000 revealed that obesity alone is estimated to cost the United States health care system $100 billion per

In the United States, children suffer from obesity due to locations that lack healthy foods. These environments are known as food deserts and according to the CDC (2016) are one of the main reasons for childhood obesity. In lower-income neighborhoods which lack supermarkets and instead fill these voids with fast food places or corner stores that provide food high in sugar, sodium, and fats; the consumption of poor food calories adds up and lead to obesity, causing children to grow up with the same eating habits and leading to many diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Community members have taken action by making food accessibility easier through education and food programs that creates a healthy path in life. A more independent based option for healthy foods is through urban farming, controlled by one person and not the community.