Signal 1: Food desert and More
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), around 23.5% of Americans live in communities without enough access to affordable fresh food (1 mile away from a supermarket for urban or suburban residents and 10 miles for rural residents). The impoverished areas short in healthful and affordable whole foods are referred to food desert (Fig.1 ). Within these areas, people are forced to spend their food budget on cheap, high-calorie and less nutritious food due to the lack of access to healthy food.
But what is the difference regarding whether live in a food desert? Is it only means that people living in those areas need to walk further or spend more time on public transportation to buy healthy food? Previous research shows that people live in food desert tend to buy food from their local stores that sell processed foods or fast food stores. The unbalanced diet, especially sugar- and fat-laden diet is highly related to the epidemic of obesity and other chronic diseases such as type II diabetes (NYC Food Policy, 2017).
Then, what can we do to eliminate food desert other than open more stores? Farmer’s market and community garden are good attempts which provide affordable and accessible fresh food. In recent years, mobile markets and fresh food truck provide more options. For example, in Detroit, “Peaches & Greens” sent a truck out weekly to offer fresh produce to the communities.
Fig.1. USDA. (2015). Food Access Research Atlas. [Digital image]. Retrieved September 10, 2018, from https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/
NYC Food Policy, (2017). Food Metrics Report. Retrieved September 10, 2018, https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/foodpolicy/downloads/pdf/2017-Food-Metrics-Report-Corrected.pdf
