Food desert

A food desert is an area that has limited access to fresh food. A food desert typically lacks the presence of a grocer and instead supplements it with convenience stores or fast food. In contrast, an area with greater access to grocers or farmers' markets with fresh foods may be called a food oasis. The designation considers the type and the quality of food available to the population, in addition to the accessibility of the food through the size and the proximity of the food stores. Food deserts are associated with various health outcomes, including higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, specifically in areas where high poverty rates occur. Studies suggest that individuals living in food deserts have lower diet quality due to the scarcity of fresh produce and foods that are full of nutrients.

In 2017, the United States Department of Agriculture reported that 39.5 million people or 12.8% of the population were living in low-income and low-access areas. Of this number, 19 million people live in "food deserts", which they define as low-income census tracts that are more than 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) from a supermarket in urban or suburban areas and more than 10 miles (16 kilometers) from a supermarket in rural areas. However, food deserts are not just a complication that arises because of distance to grocery stores; other structural barriers, such as food accessibility, affordability, transportation struggles, and socio-economic constraints, also play a role in food insecurity.

Food deserts tend to be inhabited by low-income residents with inadequate access to transportation, which makes them less attractive markets for large supermarket chains. These areas lack suppliers of fresh foods, such as meats, fruits, and vegetables. Instead, available foods are likely to be processed and high in sugar and fats, which are known contributors to obesity in the United States. Children that grow up in food deserts are at a greater risk of developing obesity due to the reliance on calorie-dense but nutrient-poor foods. Research has found a great link between childhood obesity rates and the presence of food deserts, specifically in urban areas with limited options for supermarkets.

A related concept is the phenomenon of a food swamp, a recently coined term by researchers who defined it as an area with a disproportionate number of fast food restaurants (and fast food advertising) in comparison to the number of supermarkets in that area. The single supermarket in a low-income area does not, according to researchers Rose and colleagues, necessitate availability nor does it decrease obesity rates and health risks. Recent studies have found that food swamps may fundamentally contribute to obesity-related health conditions more than food deserts alone, as the high concentration of unhealthy food options impacts dietary behaviors and long-term health risks, including higher mortality from obesity-related cancers.

The concept has its critics, who argue that merely focusing on geographical proximity does not reflect the actual purchasing habits of households and obscures other causes of poor diets. Additionally, research has shown that food deserts disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including the elderly and individuals with chronic diseases like diabetes, who may struggle with food insecurity and poor glycemic control due to the little access to fresh, health food choices. Addressing food deserts requires policy interventions that not only increase the amount of grocery stores but also enhance food affordability and nutrition education.

By 1973, the term "desert" was ascribed to suburban areas lacking amenities important for community development. A report by Cummins and Macintyre states that a resident of public housing in western Scotland supposedly coined the more specific phrase "food desert" in the early 1990s. The phrase was first officially used in a 1995 document from a policy working group on the Low Income Project Team of the UK's Nutrition Task Force.

Food deserts in America and the UK have been most widely studied due to the Western origins of the concept. Initial research was narrowed to the impact of retail migration from the urban center. More recent studies explored the impact of food deserts in other geographic areas (such as rural and frontier) and among specific populations like minorities and the elderly. The studies addressed the relationships between the quality (access and availability) of retail food environments, the price of food, and obesity. Environmental factors can also contribute to people's eating behaviors. Research conducted with variations in methods draws a more complete perspective of "multilevel influences of the retail food environment on eating behaviors (and risk of obesity)."

As a result, there has been a paradigm shift within the movement with community organizers encouraging members of affected neighborhoods to consider how inadequate food systems correlate with the intersectionality of race and class. The Planting Seeds Just Tour serves as an example, as it visited solution based projects to resist injustices with ecological wisdom and food justice that were run by women of color. The tour also highlighted economically viable alternatives to provide healthy food and created spaces in which community members could participate in conversations regarding sustainability.