Access to Healthy Food
People who live in low-income neighborhoods around the country often lack easy access to fresh, healthful and affordable foods. It is therefore no surprise that overweight and obesity rates are highest among the poor. Grocery stores in low-income neighborhoods are less likely to carry healthful food choices (such as fresh produce) than stores in wealthier areas, and instead offer highly processed, unhealthful foods at inexpensive prices. Supermarkets located outside the neighborhood are less accessible to residents who don’t own cars. An abundance of fast food restaurants, on the other hand, are easily accessible in poor areas. They become the default source of food, offering cheap, filling, but less-than-nourishing meals to families on a budget. The Rudd Center is working to educate policy makers about the need for creative policies that encourage small grocers to provide fresh, healthful, and affordable foods, and bring supermarket chains to low-income neighborhoods.
For more information:
- Community Food Security Coalition http://www.foodsecurity.org/index.html
- Initiative for a Competitive Inner City http://www.icic.org
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation’s Policy Page http://www.lisc.org/section/areas/sec2
- Reports on the need for supermarkets in Chicago, Detroit, and Philadelphia
- The Food Trust http://www.thefoodtrust.org/