Step into the heart of America's food deserts: A look at the reality biting millions
Approximately 19 million Americans reside in areas referred to as food deserts: Understanding the implications.
Ever wondered if the healthier food options you're eating aren't accessible for everyone? It's a harsh reality for millions in the US.
These days, we toss around phrases like 'eating clean' and 'eating healthy' - more veggies, less sugar, fewer processed foods. But guess what? Access to these choices isn't a given for everyone.
Obesity, a rising health concern in the states, is linked to higher risks of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. While personal habits matter, access to nutritious food plays a significant role in shaping those habits and driving obesity.
19 million Americans reside in food deserts – neighborhoods where it's tough to find fresh, affordable, minimally processed, healthy food. For many, it's an everyday struggle that makes healthy eating feel more like a luxury than a basic right.
In this guide, we're diving into what food deserts are, how they happen, and what you can do – whether you're a residents or an ally. Buckle up, because Hers presents a frank look at food deserts in the US.
How do we define a food desert?
Let's clarify things right off the bat. Food deserts aren't the barren wastelands you might think. Instead, they lack something essential – reliable access to healthy food that's also affordable.
Food deserts, coined a few decades ago, highlight the impact of structural inequality on food access. Today, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service defines these communities as 'low-income, low-access.'
Let's break it down:
- A neighborhood is 'low-income' if its poverty rate is 20% or more, or if the median family income is at or below 80% of the area's average.
- A neighborhood is 'low-access' if at least 500 people or at least 33% of residents live more than a mile from the nearest large grocery store in urban areas, or a 10-mile radius in rural areas.
To avoid being labeled as a food desert, a neighborhood must have at least one full-service grocery store – a place that stocks fresh produce, proteins, and pantry staples. If no car or decent public transit exists, affordable, healthy food becomes a major hurdle.
Where can you find food deserts?
An analysis conducted by the USDA in 2008 showed that food deserts are primarily concentrated in low-income communities and disproportionately impact Black and Hispanic communities. This isn't mere coincidence; it's the result of long-standing economic and policy decisions that often boil down to 'profit over people.'
Unpacking the research behind food deserts
To truly grasp the extent of food deserts and their impact on public health, it's helpful to examine specific examples. So, let's take a closer look at Hartford, Connecticut, where food access issues have been extensively studied.
Though the city boasts supermarkets and farmers' markets, they're often confined to more affluent white neighborhoods. Full-service grocery stores are becoming harder to come by in Hartford's low-income areas and predominantly Black communities. This pattern, known as 'supermarket redlining,' involves large grocery chains avoiding or pulling out of low-income, predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods. Specifically, between 1968 and 1984, 11 out of 13 chain supermarkets left Hartford – a 85% decline in less than two decades.
Leaving thousands without reliable access to fresh food, this carousel of closures has continued into recent years.
Food apartheid, food insecurity, and food swamps
Want to learn more about food inequality? Let's decode some of the terms you may have come across: food apartheid, food insecurity, and food swamps.
Food apartheid
Food apartheid refers to the human-created systems that relegate some to food abundance while others face food scarcity. Food deserts could be considered a subcategory of food apartheid.
Food insecurity
Food insecurity encompasses individuals or families who can't consistently secure nutritious food to support overall health due to various factors, including cost, distance, or availability. Research indicates that food insecurity is deeply linked to residential segregation and the long-term impact of policy decisions.
Food swamps
Food swamps are areas saturated with unhealthy food options like fast food chains, dollar stores, and convenience stores stocked with sugary, processed, and packaged foods. These environments contribute to the development of diet-related health issues over time, such as obesity, metabolic disease, and diet-related health disparities.
Junction of food deserts and health
Diet drives a significant portion of obesity in the US. Studies consistently show that socioeconomic status and education level are prominent predictors of dietary habits. Living in a food desert exacerbates these disparities as people often turn to cheaper, less healthful options in the absence of fresh, nutritious food or essential education about nutrition.
Moreover, communities in food deserts often face 'pharmacy deserts' – areas where access to necessary medications for chronic conditions like high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes is restricted. This breeds a vicious cycle where the same systemic forces impact diet, medication, and overall well-being.
Strategies to eat healthy despite being in a food desert
Living in a food desert doesn't mean you're left with no options. Here are a few practical strategies to prioritize nutrition:
- Embrace plant-based foods – If fresh vegetables are scarce, opt for frozen or canned versions without added salt or sugar. For fruit, frozen options may be more affordable and also last longer.
- Seek protein sources – Look for eggs, canned tuna, or dry beans. Protein-rich foods can keep you full longer and support muscle maintenance.
- Opt for minimally processed foods – Whenever possible, choose the least-processed options available. For instance, whole-grain bread or brown rice can be more nutritious than refined alternatives.
- Reduce processed foods – Strive to limit processed foods. For example, water is a better choice than soda for hydration and can aid in weight management since sugary drinks are high in calories but low in nutritional value.
- Buy in bulk – Use bulk buying where feasible for shelf-stable items like brown rice, beans, lentils, or oats. These are affordable, nutritious, and have a long shelf life, saving you money. If bulk isn't an option, consider buying larger packs of nonperishable items and storing them.
- Get crafty with convenience stores – Even without a full grocery store, many corner stores offer affordable snacks and meal options like hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, canned soups, or mixed nuts.
- Nurture your green thumb – If you have access to a community garden or even a few pots on a balcony or windowsill, grow your own herbs or vegetables. Small-scale gardening can supplement your reliance on processed food.
- Connect with local food initiatives – Some farmers' markets or urban farms accept SNAP benefits. Find sliding-scale options or partnerships with food banks to access fresh food if joining a CSA program isn't an option due to cost or logistics.
- Tap into local food banks and pantries – Some food banks collaborate with local farms and grocery stores to provide produce, dairy, and meat. Keep an eye out for 'healthy food boxes' that incorporate fresh produce and nutritious meal kits.
Don't shy away from reaching out to these resources if needed.
Aiding the fight against food deserts – what you can do
Addressing food deserts is about more than providing food. Here's how you can contribute:
- Donate excess food – If you have surplus food, donate it to local shelters or food banks. Surplus food sharing is an easy way to ensure that healthy food reaches those in need, reducing waste and combating food insecurity.
- Get involved with gleaning programs – Some farms and organizations gather leftover crops to distribute to those in need. Consider lending a hand to fight hunger and food waste.
- Support food banks and local food pantries – Many food banks require donations, volunteers, and your time. Offer financial support, food donations, or your time to help expand their efforts.
- Volunteer and advocate for policy change – Back policies that target food insecurity, reduce barriers to healthy food access, and support food-justice initiatives. Engage in volunteering for programs designed to combat food deserts.
Final thoughts: Surviving the food desert minefield
Food deserts extend beyond geographical distance to a grocery store – they're created by systems that leave communities with fewer healthy, affordable food options. Low-income neighborhoods and disadvantaged groups disproportionately bear the brunt, and the effects ripple across health, education, and economic opportunity.
If you reside in a food desert, know this – healthy eating is still a possibility. Though it may take more effort and creativity, tools like SNAP-accepting farmers' markets, local food pantries, and community-driven initiatives are around. Food deserts don't define your access to nutritious food, and there are people and programs working together to make it happen.
If you don't live in a food desert and want to help, you can support policies that bring grocery stores and funding to underserved areas, advocate for sustainable food systems, and partner with urban farms, mutual-aid programs, or nonprofits dedicated to food justice work.
Here's a list of essential programs and resources that strive to implement solutions to food insecurity and inequality:
- Double Up Food Bucks
- AmpleHarvest.org
- National Black Food & Justice Alliance
- Wholesome Wave
- WhyHunger
- Food First
- Community Food Advocates
- Healthy Food America
- Food Policy Networks at Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future
- National Right to Food Community of Practice
- Chef Ann Foundation
- Roots of Change
Don't hesitate to reach out.
This story was produced by Hers and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
- The struggle for accessing healthy food in America is a reality for millions living in food deserts, where fresh, affordable, and minimally processed food options are scarce.
- Food deserts are not just barren wastelands; they lack reliable access to healthy and affordable food, often disproportionately impacting low-income communities and communities of color.
- To address food deserts, one must go beyond providing food and focus on systemic changes, such as supporting policies that increase funding for grocery stores in underserved areas, advocating for sustainable food systems, and partnering with organizations dedicated to food justice work.
