America's Food Deserts

Food deserts, according to the CDC, are "areas that lack access to affordable fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk, and other foods that make up the full range of a healthy diet." They often are fill with convince and liquor stores and fast food restaurants, which often sell "junk" food full of empty calories and salt, sugar, and simple carbs. This has many effects on the health of these communities and disproportionately affects several demographics. While this is a widespread problem throughout the U.S., there are many groups and organizations--public and private--trying to improve lives for these food desert communities.

During my research I noticed several themes and issues. Some of these include immobile populations and demographics, how low income influences food security, health issues present in food desert communities, campaigns to help provide these communities with access fresh foods, and food deserts are often overlooked or not known about especially by surrounding communities.

Food deserts are fascinating to me. I had no idea that food deserts existed until I learned about them. I'm also moved by these areas and impressed by the efforts some organizations, governments, and communities go through to help these struggling communities and increase awareness.

3 questions guided my research:

What are food desert's impacts and associations (Health [mental & physical], wealth, fertility, mortality, etc.)?

Who do food deserts impact?

How can we fix this problem?

I learned several things from my research. Food insecurity and food deserts are a huge issue in low-income communities and has a heavy impact on individuals, especially for those who don't own a car. There are several campaigns, organizations, and groups trying to fight food deserts and give these communities access for affordable fresh foods. Health issues are common in food deserts, especially obesity, diabetes, and kidney failure. Food deserts affect not only urban communities, but also rural and exurban communities. Rural food desert communities face similar issues and factors, but often have a much harder time getting access to assistance dedicated to long-term undernourishment.

This topic is related to urbanization and migration. As more people move to cities, the more people move into low-income areas, and the greater the number of people are impacted. However, this works for rural communities as well. The lower the population, the more likely grocery stores are to not be located in small towns and villages.

This topic is also related to mortality in the sense of non-communicable diseases. People in food deserts face higher instances of obesity, diabetes, heart attack, and kidney failure, among other things. This is because people can't access affordable healthy foods or a healthy diet, which leads to diet high in salt, sugar, and simple carbs. This leads to unhealthy diets causing the previously mentioned non-communicable diseases.

Consumption ties in to this issue as well. People literally consume unhealthy foods which encourages the companies selling these foods--fast food restaurants, liquor stores, and convenience stores--to stay and move in to food deserts. Meanwhile, supermarkets and grocery stores can't make a profit in these low income communities, forcing the stores to move out.

I believe as the human species increases in population and as urbanization intensifies food deserts might become more obvious and widespread, especially as supermarkets and food-based corporations follow the money they can make and move to areas where they can make a profit.

I also believe there is a disproportionate focus on urban food deserts. Rural food desert communities face just as much need but don't get nearly as much assistance at this point in time. However, there are resources to assist these households.

Female fertility may be affected in these communities, but I hadn't found any mention of it in my research. It's possible this is not looked into as a potential affect. If there is a strong link between fertility and diet, an unhealthy diet may affect female fertility. I think it's a potentially interesting topic to look into in the future.