Food Deserts

I.

Introduction (Rogerian Step One)

What is a food desert?

Usually low income urban areas where people do not have

easy access to affordable healthy and fresh food options
-a grocery store or a farmers market- within a mile of
where they live. To further compound the problem; a
percentage of the people living in these neighborhoods do
not own vehicles -although public transportation is
within walking distance. In lieu of a grocery store these
areas tend to have a proliferation of one or more of the
following; fast food restaurants, gas stations, and
convenience stores.

Studies have determined that there is a correlation

between food deserts and obesity. A part of Michelle
Obamas Lets Move campaign is to eliminate food
deserts and thus childhood obesity. They realized that the parts of
the city without good supermarkets also we home to people who suffered from high
rates of illness related to poor diet, such as obesity and diabetes. -Perry.

Critics of The First Ladys program have concluded that

food deserts do not cause high obesity rates.

Thus putting a grocery store or a big box store in

these poor neighborhoods alone does not reduce obesity
and improve health; additional efforts are required.
Weve learned that access alone doesnt do it. The farmers market didnt seem to
have a measurable effect on the health of people in that neighborhood. Nor did
bringing in a supermarket. Those additional efforts include; making good food
affordable, consumer education, and proper sales promotion. -Popkin.

I am of the opinion that food deserts do indeed exist and

play a leading role in obesity in children and adults. In
elementary school children are taught the importance of
healthy eating. Unfortunately, in these underserved
communities lower income children and teens cannot
practice what theyve learned outside the classroom
because the resources are not there -in the neighborhood
or at home. Living on a tight budget further compounds
the problem; in order to use SNAP benefits or EBT,
parents who do not have a vehicle may have to use public
transportation to get to their nearest grocery store and
paying round trip -depending on cost- can put strain on
the budget. In other instances, walking to and from -in
order to save bus fare- the nearest grocery store may not
be a wise idea in crime plagued neighborhoods.

II. Opposition Perspective (Rogerian Step Two)

Critics of Michelle Obamas campaign point out food deserts

are not a national problem and bringing fresh fruits and
vegetables into low income urban areas have no effect on
improving peoples health. Study after study has shown that the fresh-food
push does nothing to improve the health of poorer people, who continue to live markedly
shorter and sicker lives that better-off Americans. Gilligan.

Research on health care inequality indicates that the stress

as a result of poverty contributed to the early death and
poor health of the people living in those areas. On average,
poor neighborhoods have more grocery stores that wealthier neighborhoods. Gilligan.

Putting big box stores like a Super Wal-Mart into

underserved areas does not alleviate the food desert and
obesity crisis, on the contrary it exacerbates it. Plugging
food access holes with big box stores may not leader to healthier habits. According to a
study just published online in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine,
Americans junk food calories increasingly come from big box stores rather than
traditional grocers. -McMillan.

The critics arguments are very valid; low income and

poverty does indeed have an effect on health. The stress of
wondering how much money is left after buying a few gallons
of gasoline? How can I stretch my dollars and food stamps?

Along with a myriad of socio-economic problems in these

underserved neighborhood does have a detrimental effect upon
peoples health. However, poverty is only one part of the
problem and grocery stores are only one part of the
solution. It would be short sighted to single out one thing;
the problem of food deserts along with obesity is more
complex than that, thus a multi-faceted strategy is
required.

I do not doubt that there are poor urban areas in America

that do have multiple grocery stores. Then there are those
areas in America that do not even have even a single grocery
store. The people living in these food deserts are even at a
greater disadvantage because the stress associated with
poverty is further compounded.

I am of the opinion that every food desert is unique in its

demographics-what works in Philadelphia may not work in New
Orleans- and a one size fit all solution is an impractical
approach. The reason being is this problem is still quite
new and there still more to learn. Some progress has been
made in the reduction of food deserts since of Michelle
Obamas 2010 initiative to reduce childhood obesity and
improve the overall health of America.

However, this problem did not happen overnight nor will the
solution happen overnight either. It may take a generation
or two before some real results become apparent in the
populace.
III. Writer's Perspective (Rogerian Step Three)

Everyone deserves the right to have access to healthy food

options -the need to eat is as fundamental as literacy.
People will naturally eat and shop in places that are close
to where they live; if healthy options are not available
that is what the people in the area will consume and vice
versa.

I am of the opinion there is are some serious underlying

problems with putting big box stores in food desert
communities -if there is ample retail space. The first is
the way the company merchandizes their product. Too much
floor space is devoted to less than healthy grocery items.
For instance, when walking through the grocery department of
a Super Walmart the main aisles are dominated by pallet
sized displays of chips, cookies, high sugary drinks and
other similar items that do not belong on a food pyramid. As
a result, there is a greater probability that people will
impulse buy these items for their children or themselves.

Next the produce department; bulk vegetables do not always

appear fresh and clean, its as if they were put on display
and forgotten about. Also a majority of the fruits -and some
vegetables- have already been pre-bagged, therefore shoppers
are forced to buy more than they need or what they can
afford.

Moving on to the fresh meat department; prepacked processed

meats and frozen foods of similar type have been given more
space for display in the open coolers and freezers -causing
a greater probability to impulse buy these less healthy
options. So the question is, does having a Super Walmart
alleviate the problem of food deserts? Indeed, it does; but
as far as improving food intake it doesnt do enough.

The advantage of grocery stores; especially the smaller

chain stores -Compare Foods, WOW Supermarket, and similar
others- is that they can establish themselves in food
deserts that have limited retail property. Big box stores
and major grocery chains have deemed these areas too small
to suit the needs of their business. Unlike a Super Walmart
these smaller stores cannot merchandise their products in
the same manner. Gone are the overly suggestive displays; as
a result, the consumer is not as exposed to these less than
healthy items while shopping.

Also,

these types of grocery stores tend to sell a lot their

fruits, produce, dry spices, dry beans and rice by the bulk
instead of pre-packaged. Thus shoppers can but only what
they need and at the right price. Once again unlike their
larger counterparts these stores have the flexibility to
sell the kind of produce and grocery items that reflects the
demographics of the people living in the community.
Especially in areas that are ethnically homogenous or
ethnically diverse -which are usually underserved to begin
with.

Food deserts are commonly associated with lower income urban

areas however; food deserts can also be found in affluent
areas across the country and rural areas where having a
vehicle is compulsory. Speaking from personal experience;
over the winter break I vacationed for a week in a small
costal town in Florida. There was only one road to get in
and out of the island of about seven hundred residents
living in laid back affluence. Aside from the restaurants,
bars, art galleries, banks and real estate offices I
happened upon the only grocery store in town -I could tell
from the rustic appearance this store had severed the
community for generations. My plan was to get some
provisions to cook at my motel. Once inside I began looking

for vegetables, but found nothing in the refrigerated

display that appeared fit for consumption -same story for
fresh meat too. Thus I defaulted myself to getting a frozen
pizza, but no luck there either. To make a long story short;
this place used to be a full service grocery store during it
life time. Now it has become a dusty convenience store and I
found myself in a food desert. I concluded most of the
people living on the island either ate out a lot or drove
great distances to buy food.

IV. Common Ground (Rogerian Step Four & Proposal)

It is clear that it will take a concerted effort to get the

upper hand in reducing food deserts. A strategy comprising
of information and data exchanges with various cities
throughout the united states dealing with this same problem.
At the local level; co-operation with the community at large
and its leaders; volunteers; churches; schools; co-operation
from the city officials; locally owned businesses and
corporations.

To the critics, doubters and opponents; it would be wise to

make them close allies -an overly focused effort have been
the undoing of many good intentions. Their input might be
the difference between success or failure especially on an

endeavor of this magnitude where public health and future

generations are at stake.
VI. Concluding Statements

I do not doubt reducing food deserts and obesity is

achievable. History has proven endeavors of this kind of
magnitude has been successful; from reducing the use of
cigarettes to AIDS awareness and prevention. Changing
peoples attitude and thoughts is indeed a difficult task;
thus the key to success is educating the public so that they
can make better health decisions and having the resources
for them to exercise what theyve learned. In doing so it
becomes an investment in improving the health of future
generations.

Epilogue.

Having completed this assignment, I have become more aware

about the neighborhoods I drive through. I now take notice
of people walking back home with plastic bags; did they make
their purchases from the convenience store or the grocery
store? Did they use their subsidies? How far did they have
to walk to and from the store? On several occasions I have
set my trip counter on my cars odometer in order to
determine the distances between a low income apartment
complex and a grocery store or the nearest place to buy

food. Other times I have taken notice of the abandoned store

owned shopping carts within these areas. Using that visual
evidence as my port of departure; I sometimes cant help
thinking that perhaps that person could not afford bus fare
and thus had to walk home with a cart load of food. Other
times, I often wonder why farmers markets have resigned
themselves to only setting up shop in higher income
neighborhoods? For instance, the Kings Drive farmers market
are open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, where else do they go on
those alternate days? All these questions inspire me;

VII. Works Cited

Annotated Biography; Food Deserts

Building an Oasis in a Philadelphia Food Desert. By Paul Solman. Perf. Jeff Brown, Shop Rite
C.E.O.; Ruby D. Davis, Nutritionist. Http://www.pbs.org/newshour/. PBS, 6 Aug. 2015.
Web. 22 Apr. 2016. <http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/building-oasis-philadelphia-fooddesert/>.
Brief video showcases how Shop Rite C.E.O. Jeff Brown was able to
transform a food desert in Philadelphia into a thriving oasis
for the community its people.
Charles, Dan. "What Will Make The Food Desert Bloom?" NPR. NPR, 1 May 2012. Web. 22
Apr. 2016. <http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/05/09/151707985/what-will-makethe-food-desert-bloom>.
Radio transcript from All Things Considered; the topic of
discussion is a grocery store alone is not enough to revitalize a
food desert. A multi-pronged approach involving activists,
researchers, educators and the community at large is key to a
successful transformation.
Eliminating Food Deserts in America. Perf. Michelle Obama, First Lady; Tom Vilsack, Sec. of
Agriculture; Donna Gambrell, U.S Dept. Treasury. Eliminating Food Deserts. Unitied
States White House, 24 Feb. 2010. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8My-iWjTBQ8>.

Short video highlighting an important strategy from the First

Ladys Lets Move campaign to reduce childhood obesity.
Gilligan, Heather Tirado. "Food Deserts Aren't the Problem." Editorial. Http://www.slate.com/.
Slate, 10 Feb. 2014. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2014/02/food_deserts_and_fresh_food_access_a
ren_t_the_problem_poverty_not_obesity.html>.
This article challenges the perception that food deserts are
not the cause of poor health in people living in low income
neighborhoods.
Kolata, Gina. "Studies Question the Pairing of Food Deserts and Obesity."
Http://www.nytimes.com/. New York Times, 17 Apr. 2012. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/18/health/research/pairing-of-food-deserts-andobesity-challenged-in-studies.html?_r=0>.
An article from the New York Times declaring there is no
correlation of food deserts and obesity.
McMillan, Tracie. "Why Wal-Mart and Other Retail Chains May Not Fix the Food Deserts."
Http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/. NPR, 13 Oct. 2015. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/10/13/448300139/why-wal-mart-and-otherretail-chains-may-not-fix-the-food-deserts>.

Big box stores and similar retailers may be causing more harm in
the heath of those living in food deserts and underserved
neighborhoods.
United States. White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity. Executive Office of the President
of the United States. Http://www.letsmove.gov/. N.p., May 2010. Web. 22 Apr. 2016.
<http://www.letsmove.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files/TFCO_Access_to_Healthy_Affordabl
e_Food.pdf>.
Chapter four, section A, of The White House Task force on
Childhood Obesity; It discuss detailed plans to provide access to
healthy, affordable food in low income and underserved
neighborhoods proliferated by fast food and corner type
convenience stores.
Eliminating Food Deserts in America. Dir. Rand Corporation. Perf. Tamara Dubowitz, Senior
Policy Researcher. N.d. Eliminating Food Deserts. Youtube, 6 Feb. 2013. Web. 29 Apr.
2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoOA9-8iuy8>.
Field research on neighborhood demographics in food deserts.
Living in a Desert. Dir. Naked Juice & Wholesome Wave. Living in a Desert. N.p., 22 Aug.
2013. Web. 30 Apr. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jly-ofG_zE>.
A short documentary from a first person perspective of teens
living and coping in a food desert in Las Angeles.