Neighborhoods facing limited food access, often referred to as “food deserts,” are geographical areas where residents struggle to find convenient and affordable healthy food options, especially fresh produce. Disproportionately concentrated in high-poverty, non-white areas, these food deserts create significant daily obstacles that can hinder the healthy development of children and families. Research indicates that improved access to supermarkets correlates with more nutritious diets and lower rates of chronic diseases.
Low-Income, Low-Access Food Areas in the United States
USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Low Income and Low Access Layers, 2019: Map illustrating areas in the United States with limited access to affordable and nutritious food.
The Evolving Understanding of “Food Desert”
Experts and government agencies increasingly recognize the limitations of the term “food desert” when describing neighborhoods with limited food access. These limitations include:
- The term incorrectly suggests the primary problem lies in the physical environment (e.g., distance to food) rather than intentional decisions that have resulted in limited grocery stores in low-income communities, such as supermarket redlining and residential segregation.
- It fails to acknowledge the root causes, including structural racism, that disproportionately affect people of color’s access to food. It also doesn’t capture other critical aspects like food affordability, store hours, and the cultural acceptability of available food.
- It overlooks food quality and the prevalence of unhealthy options in convenience stores within urban, low-income neighborhoods.
More descriptive and thoughtful language can promote solutions that address underlying issues such as structural inequities, household income, and economic opportunities, going beyond merely focusing on the built environment.
Where is Food Access a Significant Challenge?
Generally, limited food access is more prevalent in:
- Communities with higher poverty rates, whether rural or urban.
- Neighborhoods with larger populations of people of color.
- Rural American Indian or Alaska Native communities.
Numerous studies show that communities of color disproportionately face barriers to accessing nutritious food. For example, a 2022 study examining U.S. census tracts found that high-poverty, non-white neighborhoods, particularly Black neighborhoods, consistently have the least access to supermarkets, aligning with previous research.
A 2023 analysis further revealed that American Indian and Alaska Native populations are heavily over-represented in areas with limited supermarket access in the most remote parts of the country.
Identifying Communities with Limited Food Access
Researchers consider various factors when identifying these neighborhoods:
- Access to healthy food in local stores: Measured by distance to supermarkets or large grocery stores, or the number of stores in an area.
- Household resources: Including family income and vehicle availability.
- Neighborhood resources: Such as the average income of residents and the availability of public transportation.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) identifies these communities as “low-income, low-access” census tracts, defined as:
- Low-income census tracts: Poverty rate of at least 20% or a median family income at or below 80% of the statewide or metropolitan area median family income.
- Low-access census tracts: At least 500 people or 33% of residents live more than 1 mile in urban areas or more than 10 miles in rural areas from the nearest supermarket or large grocery store.
These overlapping low-income and low-access census tracts represent communities facing the greatest potential difficulties in obtaining nutritious food. While the USDA also considers household vehicle access, its analysis doesn’t account for other potential food sources like farmers’ markets or food pantries, nor does it assess the quality or affordability of available food.
How Many Americans Live in Food Deserts?
According to the USDA’s most recent food access research report (2022), approximately 39 million people in the U.S. (13% of the population) reside in low-income and low-access areas, situated more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket or large grocery store.
Within this group, an estimated 19 million people (6% of the nation’s total population) have limited access to a supermarket.
Contributing Factors to Lack of Food Access
There is no single cause for food deserts, but several contributing factors exist, including economic disparities, lack of transportation, and historical discriminatory practices.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Food Access
The COVID-19 pandemic introduced further challenges to food access, both logistically and financially. Restaurant closures, reduced operating hours for businesses, and travel restrictions impacted residents reliant on public transportation. The pandemic also led to supply chain disruptions, increased unemployment, reduced family income, and loss of access to school meals, all contributing to increased food insecurity.
Pandemic-relief measures, such as the expanded Child Tax Credit, temporarily reduced child poverty and food insecurity rates in 2021. However, these rates spiked again in 2022 when these measures expired. The success of these policies highlights the potential for strengthening family financial and food security.
The pandemic also saw a significant increase in online grocery shopping, suggesting a promising avenue for expanding food access among groups facing barriers to traditional stores, especially given the rising rates of smartphone ownership among low-income populations.
Potential Solutions for Improving Food Access
Addressing inadequate and inequitable access to high-quality food requires a multifaceted approach involving federal, state, and local policy solutions. Beyond policies, economic, commercial, environmental, cultural, community, and individual factors all play a role. Strategies for alleviating poor food conditions include:
- Partnering with residents to develop community-driven solutions.
- Supporting small, corner-type stores and neighborhood-based farmers markets.
- Strengthening food production and distribution practices, such as building infrastructure for urban agriculture.
- Supporting food sovereignty models, empowering residents to oversee their food production and distribution processes.
- Incentivizing large grocery stores and supermarkets to establish locations in underserved areas.
- Promoting community programs to encourage healthier eating habits.
- Ensuring the effective implementation of community food pantries.
- Increasing access to and strengthening federal food assistance programs like SNAP, WIC, and school meals.
- Incentivizing or requiring small grocery stores and farmers’ markets to accept SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfer payments and WIC.
- Continuing to explore innovative food access strategies through mobile apps and digital solutions.
While specific solutions will vary across communities, improving equitable access to healthy food requires multidisciplinary partnerships and long-term commitments.
Food insecurity and limited access to nutritious food are complex problems, but by understanding the scope of the issue, its contributing factors, and potential solutions, we can work towards creating healthier and more equitable communities for all.
