Food Deserts

Have you even watched a movie based in the hood? We've all seen it before, right? The story is centered around 3 or 4 black boys that grow-up quickly in front of our eyes. We watch as they go through trials and tribulations, run-ins with police, fall outs, tragedy and eventually some sort of resolution.

Now look past the people and focus on one thing in particular; food. I know what you're saying "You want me to look past the violence and that fact that everyone dies, except for that one dude that finally makes it out to focus on food?" Yes, look past the fact that Ricky should have lived (Boyz N The Hood reference) and focus on the food. Why do I say that? Well think about it, in these movies do we actually see the characters step into a grocery store, no, we always see them enter a convenience store right near a liquor store to buy bread or whatever. Sometimes these convenience stores have a produce and meat but that's rare. So the question is, where's the grocery store?

Don't get me wrong we all go to the convenience stores from time to time but that's just because it's convenient. We don't do all our shopping there because we simply can't. Convenience stores don't have fresh veggies, meat or fruit. Sure we can get a cup of noodles but honestly is that really enough to live on? College kids don't answer that question.

The thing is these characters don't have any other choice. They have to shop there because they don't have grocery stores. You might say "What's the big deal? It's just a movie?" , well the truth is this is more than just a movie, it's real life, and it's happening in neighborhoods all over America. 23.5 million people live in food deserts and of those 23 million, 13.5 million are low income.

What are food deserts, why are they bad?

Food deserts, are areas where good quality food isn't affordable or available.

In these places, the nearest grocery store can be hours away. Because of the distance people either can't afford to make the trip or don't have the time to go there ,usually because they lack the transportstion. The reason this is such a huge problem is because people living in food deserts are more likely to suffer from diabetes, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure and so many other diet-related conditions.

Who do they effect?

This is an epidemic in America that effects both class and racial lines. Typically food deserts are found in poor black neighborhoods especially in New Orleans, San Fransisco, Chicago, Memphis and Detroit. Even my city, Atlanta, is a food desert. According to a study done by the Environmental Justice Resource Center at Clark Atlanta University, there are 4 times as many grocery stores in affluent predominantly white neighborhoods as compared to poor black ones.

Food deserts personally affect me. The only available grocery store in my area is Piggy Wiggly but I don't shop there because often the produce is terrible. I go to Dekalb Farmers Market instead, and it's a 2 hours trip. Thankfully I have the finances to make this long but much-needed trip weekly. Unfortunately, some people have to do this monthly and will spend 3hours just to get to a decent grocery store. This is absolutely insane when you consider that fact that numerous affluent white neighborhoods in Atlanta have groceries 3-8 minutes apart. For example, North Avenue has a Kroger, Trader Joes, Publix, and a Whole Foods literally behind, beside or a short drive from each other.

How did they start?

Food deserts are not a race thing; they are a money thing. These companies don't look at race they look at numbers. If the income of an area is particularly low companies won't build a grocery stores there; instead they'll take it to a place where they can earn more profit. This is a logical view, but the logic is completely immoral.

In some cases a grocery store will leave a neighborhood and no other grocery store can be built in its place because of deed restrictions. Stores like Safeway and Walmart use deed restrictions to reduce competition. However when they change locations they leave empty buildings and no food.

Many of the stores that leave are people's only access to affordable food, but what stops a grocery store from building in a poor area doesn't stop a fast food restaurant.

2.5 more fast food restaurants are built in poor neighborhoods compared to wealthier ones.

If you've spent your whole life eating processed foods high in salt, simple sugars, and dyes how can you possible avoid things like high blood pressure, and obesity.

While reading about food deserts this statement from usnews.com stood out the most to me

"If you're born a black man in, let's say, New Orleans Parish, your average life expectancy is worse than the male average of countries that are much poorer than America."

It's easy to ignore a problem especially if you aren't experiencing said problem. In order to fix food deserts we can not depend on big super-market chains. The communities themselves must take action and action starts with awareness.