If you are not familiar with the term Food Deserts, they can be described as areas within cities where healthful, affordable food is difficult to obtain. Food deserts are usually found in rural and urban areas - mostly in low-socioeconomic minority communities. They are associated with a variety of diet-related health problems and are also linked with supermarket shortage.
In the African American and other minority communities, the numbers for Obesity and Diabetes are greater than that of the more affluent neighborhoods. Take Atlanta for example. The map below (as reported by the Atlanta Regional Commission) shows the difference in access to Fast Food versus Fresh Food by area. I added the black square to highlight that area I grew up in.
The Atlanta Regional Commission states that, "the blue and green indicate better access to fast foods, while the browns indicate better access to fresh foods. In general, residents living along the GA 400 corridor have the best access to grocery stores, while the residents living in west Atlanta and south of I-20 have the best access to fast foods."
You will notice that the area where I grew up has a high availability of fast foods, but not fresh foods.
The same, I'm sure can be said for many cities in America. I stumbled upon a video about the lack of fresh food available in West Oakland, California. The greatest thing about this video was that there was a solution being offered and executed by the folks at Mandela Market Place - bringing the fresh food to the hood. Check out the video below.
We all know that most major supermarkets will not bring their business to the hood. The question is, what else can be done with the resources that we already have?
In the African American and other minority communities, the numbers for Obesity and Diabetes are greater than that of the more affluent neighborhoods. Take Atlanta for example. The map below (as reported by the Atlanta Regional Commission) shows the difference in access to Fast Food versus Fresh Food by area. I added the black square to highlight that area I grew up in.
The Atlanta Regional Commission states that, "the blue and green indicate better access to fast foods, while the browns indicate better access to fresh foods. In general, residents living along the GA 400 corridor have the best access to grocery stores, while the residents living in west Atlanta and south of I-20 have the best access to fast foods."
You will notice that the area where I grew up has a high availability of fast foods, but not fresh foods.
The same, I'm sure can be said for many cities in America. I stumbled upon a video about the lack of fresh food available in West Oakland, California. The greatest thing about this video was that there was a solution being offered and executed by the folks at Mandela Market Place - bringing the fresh food to the hood. Check out the video below.
We all know that most major supermarkets will not bring their business to the hood. The question is, what else can be done with the resources that we already have?
