Food deserts are those areas within cities where the local population has no or little access to fresh fruits and healthy vegetables. There is evidence that the food desert areas are more prevalent in the lower income neighborhoods. Lack of healthy foods leads to obesity and health ailments such as heart disease and diabetes. It is also seen that the neighborhoods with low-income are mostly African American. The essay discusses the Food deserts, what they mean and who is affected and how. Research works on food deserts in Baltimore city are looked into and how a lack of nutritious food is impacting the health of the population. Efforts are being made within the Baltimore city to identify the food deserts and see to it as to how the population in those areas can have access to healthy and fresh food. Different studies point to disparities in obesity by socioeconomic position, race, and the food environment.
Food deserts are those regions or parts of a country which are devoid of fresh fruit, vegetables, and healthful whole foods. There could be multiple factors behind such as lack of farmers markets and grocery stores. These desert areas of foods lack healthy foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables but are loaded with processed foods that are laden with sugar and fat. The presence of food deserts creates a big problem because they keep the nation and its people devoid of healthy food and contribute to the obesity epidemic. It is essential to identify the food deserts in a country and see how the population can get ready access to healthy and affordable food, especially in the low-income communities. The essay looks into the food desert areas in Baltimore City and evaluates as to how the population is getting affected, why they are affected and what can be done about it. It is essential to develop grocery stores, farmers markets and small retailers to provide fresh and healthy food in these areas and minimize food deserts (USDA defines Food Deserts 2015).The essay looks at the effect of a food desert in Baltimore city and the efforts being made and what more can be done. Different studies over the last decade highlight disparities in obesity by socioeconomic position, race, and the food environment. In the United States, it is observed that more than one out of three adults are obese. Overweight and obesity relate strongly to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. Research demonstrates that neighborhoods with low-income as well as those that are predominantly African American carry more of convenience stores and liquor stores, and fewer of supermarkets with fresh foods. The corner stores are an important location for getting healthier food options and are a major food source in many low-income urban settings (Mui et al. 15059).Food deserts in Baltimore It is observed that in low-income settings under urban areas, the food environment is made of small food stores and restaurants. There are no supermarkets to provide fresh fruits and vegetables, and the situation contributes to unhealthier food choices. The residents of these areas rely on Prepared foods that are defined as “full meals.” However, studies reveal that frequently eating those prepared foods leads to a higher intake of sodium, fat and sugar and lower intake of fresh fruits and vegetables (Jeffries et al. 293).The lower income neighborhoods have fewer or no supermarkets as compared to the higher income neighborhoods. Studies on food deserts reflect neglect of two prime considerations. The first is that they do not admit limitations faced by public transit-dependent households and secondly, they neglect neighborhood street-level access issues. In order to understand food deserts better, it is essential to focus on the context-specific conditions in those areas. A study inspects public transit access to employment and healthy food within the Baltimore metropolitan area. 20.1% of Baltimore City population live below the poverty, and 10.1% of them are unemployed. Several public transit options do exist within the city (Plano et al. 66). The good quality and fresh condition of vegetables and fruits and fewer prepackaged meals add to the health quality of a person. Thus, raising the accessibility of healthy food options is likely to raise the probability of healthier eating and better quality of life plus fewer ailments. However, for many city residents, it is not easy to buy healthier foods. Taking the example of Baltimore City, it lost about 15 percent of supermarkets and this lead to the creation of food deserts in and around the city. (Food Access 2016). There are many areas where there are no options for healthy foods. The corner stores carry no fresh vegetables or fruits and moreover, the price of cereal, bread and milk is greater than in supermarkets. In the densely populated areas, the residents are forced to shop from the corners that often lack fresh products and healthy produce. The residents have to make unhealthy choices. Supermarkets in the urban areas carry twice the options of fruits and vegetables as compared to marketplaces in lower income areas. The higher occurrence of chronic ailments in the city is attributed to the absence of healthier food options. The "food desert" areas in Baltimore exhibit maximum rates of heart diseases, strokes and diabetes. It is only by removing those food deserts and making easy access to healthy eating can one improve the health outcomes (Food Access 2016). The findings suggest the presence of food deserts in poor urban neighborhoods in Baltimore. Food deserts can lead to real health concerns for public transit-dependent households in Baltimore. It is observed that fruit and vegetable consumption have increased among the black Americans because of the presence of an additional supermarket. Communities with no supermarkets close by tend to consume an unhealthy diet and are likely to experience ill health effects city (Plano et al. 69). Johns Hopkins Center researchers report that one in four of the Baltimore city's residents live in food deserts and have limited access to healthy foods. Neighborhoods with food deserts show higher rates of diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes that are linked to unhealthy diets. 34% of African Americans live in food deserts as compared to eight % of white residents. 30% of Baltimore City's school-aged children lie in food deserts and are disproportionately affected. Those number highlight the disparities in healthy food access in Baltimore City (Report: One in Four Baltimore Residents 2015).Effect of food deserts on health Studies suggest that eating out more frequently is associated with obesity and higher body mass. Eating more fast-food meals is linked to higher intake of calories and saturated fats. It is observed that it is the low-income population with weaker access to fresh fruits, vegetables, and milk that consume more of those prepared foods. Obesity is a one of the major cause of preventable death in the United States and being overweight means inviting risks of heart disease and diabetes. A major factor that contributes to obesity is the greater prevalence of food deserts and energy-dense prepared foods. The fast food establishments providing cheaper priced food relates to increased food consumption with the higher number of calories. The high prevalence of prepared food and their consumption is challenging for low-income urban areas (Lee-Kwan et al. 1). Baltimore and Chicago lack proximity to supermarkets and fresh groceries. Because of the poor access to healthy and fresh foods, these communities are seen to suffer from health consequences. Baltimore City Health Department reports higher numbers of heart diseases, strokes, and diabetes as reported by Garry (2010). Baltimore City, in order to check its prevalence of obesity, is working on providing cost-effective and culturally acceptable healthy food choices. About 60% of Baltimore City adults are obese and about 64% of these are African Americans (Jeffries et al. 294). Baltimore African Americans are seen to consume more of fatty foods and sugary drinks because of the prepared-food source environment of the city. Specific interventions are necessary to reduce those food desert areas and make healthier food choice available for the city residents. The population vulnerable to unemployment and low income also suffers from health issues and poor diet. The transit-dependent households rely on societal choices concerning transportation modes. Only customized solutions for the residents within an area can improve the conditions and help the most disadvantaged to enjoy easier access to jobs and healthy food (Plano et al. 71). Access to the type of food source used is important factors in determining the health status of the community. Supermarkets and corner stores are the major food sources for low-income AA in Baltimore. The residents rely on corner stores for their everyday shopping, and their products are unhealthier than the supermarkets (D'Angelo et al. 1638).
Efforts to reduce food desert areas in Baltimore Baltimore City Health Department plan to increase access to healthy and fresh food in the city. The virtual supermarket project encourages the residents to visit the local library to order fresh groceries once a week and pick them the next day from the same location. The virtual supermarket project is running currently at two locations, Orleans Street and Washington village (Johnson 2010). The idea is to encourage access to healthier food where the communities do not have supermarkets. The health workers assist the local citizens to place their order on laptops and make payment by credit cards, check or food stamps. It is seen that the nearest supermarkets to these communities are more than a mile away. The communities show a higher mortality rate because of stroke, diabetes and heart ailments and all those health condemns are related to the poor diet (Johnson 2010). It has been observed that those who live in food desert areas prefer to call in their grocery orders rather than use a computer. Virtual Supermarket Project has partnered with Santoni’s Supermarket and paid a lump sum delivery fee to the store (Garry 2010). A pilot nutrition education program -Spice MyPlate”, focuses on the use of spices and herbs to improve diet quality among high school students in Baltimore. Baltimore community faces environmental challenges like food deserts and other health problems. The purpose behind Spice MyPlate is to provide effective nutrition to high school students. The study found the attitudes among the students toward healthy eating improved in the spice and herb intervention group as compared to others (Berman 2014). One solution lies in increasing the number of farmer's markets in Baltimore City. They can be located near the public transportation and given extended hours to run. "Virtual Supermarket" plan run by the Baltimore City Health Department is already encouraging the resident to order fresh food online (Food Access 2016). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC recommends environmental approaches such as price reduction, signage and menu labeling for the prepared food sources, to keep the consumer educated and aware (Lee-Kwan et al. 2). With an improved knowledge of healthy foods and behavior, positive results have been seen. However, it is challenging to build a positive rapport with store owners. There is still a shortage of research on the evaluation of prepared food source interventions. Studies show that there is the potential for increasing the availability of healthy food n within small food stores. Policy change in Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program is likely to make a real improvement in the availability of fresh and healthy food (Cobb et al. 1856). The WIC policy focuses on increasing the number of supermarkets in food desert areas. Those local stores are not averse to the idea of stocking healthier food. Such policies will not only reduce the food desert areas and increase healthy food availability, but also lower health disparities. Another study investigates the challenges of community gardening and involves the communities to promote food security and get involved with food systems. Community gardening needs to understand better and how to make people aware of issues of food security and good health. In Baltimore, the Duncan Street Miracle Garden (DSMG) is located on North Avenue and is primarily African American neighborhood that experiences high rates of poverty. The presence of a food desert points to an uneven access to quality food and health issues. DSMG envisions to enhance the health and beauty of communities and parks in Baltimore. The local gardeners work on the plots, and the surplus food is donated to various organizations, families and individuals in the neighborhood (Corrigan1233). Crop Circles is a nationwide crusade with a mission to eradicate food deserts and bring significant change for those in need of healthy nourishment. Crop Circles movement in Baltimore remains committed to addressing the wants of food desert regions and help them get access to fresh produce. Baltimore City carries the potential to reach its true health and make affordable healthy food available to all (Crop Circles Food Desert Campaign Enters Baltimore 439).Challenges ahead Minority populations in the USA are affected by high rates of unemployment, poor nutrition, and chronic diseases. All those factors are interconnected, and one leads to another. Studies also find a link between the lower quality of food being sold at food stores in low-income neighborhoods and the health of the community. The low-income neighborhoods have fewer supermarkets that sell fresh foods. It is seen that presence of a supermarket in an urban neighborhood tends to increase the consumption of fruit and vegetable among residents. Limited availability of healthy food too is a reason behind the less healthy diet and more health ailments. The prime barrier to sustaining food environment changes receives lower attention to access to healthy food suppliers. There have been interventions to improve the consumer behavior and encourage him to make healthier food choices. Some efforts include educational flyers, purchase promotions, cooking demonstrations, and vouchers to promote healthy food purchases. Pricing strategies are followed to lower the cost of buying healthier food options. These interventions have improved the local food environment to a certain extent. Still, a lot more needs to be done to address the issue comprehensively (Mui et al. 15059). The low-income individuals live in areas with fewer employment opportunities, and these populations carry lower buying power because of limited income. The population cannot afford personal transportation to wealthier areas with supermarkets. A considerable time and money of there are spent on looking for better jobs and using public transit. Because of the dependence on public transit, it is essential to see how those gaps can be filled and improvements made.One of the biggest risk factors for death and morbidity relates to poor and unhealthy diet. The quality of food consumed by a population relies on its availability, promotion, cost and placement. The higher availability of healthy food in a greater variety means higher consumption of healthy food. However, racial and socioeconomic inequalities of healthy food availability lead to disparities in obesity and other diet-related diseases (Cobb et al. 1849). Store owners report a convenient delivery for unhealthy products such as chips and soda and lesser connections with suppliers of healthy options. Improving the supplier networks is essential. It is seen that the larger food establishments enjoy a well-defined food supply and distribution. There are inequalities existing between the unhealthy and healthy supplier networks, especially in the low-income neighborhoods of Baltimore. Researchers and policymakers can apply improved social network principles to expand the availability of healthy options and improve the food environment. The corner stores channels can be changed into healthy supplier networks. The food policies that direct healthy food access are not sufficient to create positive changes (Mui et al. 15070). Policymakers and interventionists must take into consideration the current supplier network and cultural barriers that often delay a storeowner’s ability to establish necessary relationships. According to Environmental Health Researchers, the corner stores supplies and products are impacted by the system of suppliers in the region. A network analysis examines the links between corner stores and the Baltimore City food deserts. The results show that there are two categories of Food and beverage dealers, one is a healthy supplier network, and the other is primarily unhealthy. The key suppliers to the Corner Stores are more diverse. However, the Unhealthy supplier network was found to be more unified and closely connected as coated to the Healthy supplier network. The research concludes that it is essential to address ethnic/cultural differences of store owners (Data on Environmental Research 2016). In Baltimore City, the healthy food availability is seen to be lower in low-income neighborhoods where majority of African- American population live (D'Angelo et al. 1633). Baltimore Healthy Carry-outs (BHC) intervention intends to address these gaps, especially in the -income, urban African-American population (Lee-Kwan et al. 2).
Conclusion It is good that the federal and state government are aware of the food deserts and taking steps in this direction. The local corner stores and food establishments sell ready-to-eat food that is dense with high-calorie, high-fat and high-sodium. These foods lead the diet-related chronic diseases and raise obesity. Thera is the disparity in income, education and health outcome. The community gardens engage the local community to improve the food systems in Baltimore and thus enhance food security. It can help solve the issue of the unequal distribution of quality food and provide nutritionally adequate foods to the community. Still, it is a serious challenge for Baltimore City residents to eat smartly and healthily. The city needs to increase its access to healthy food options for its citizens.
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