Food Deserts in Our Community - Women's Policy Forum

Food Deserts in Our CommunityPresented by Micheline Hynes

Prevalence of Food

Insecurity

Food Insecurity by Household

Characteristics

The prevalence of food insecurity varied considerably among household types. Rates of food insecurity were higher than the national average (11.1%) for the following groups:

All households with children (13.9%)

Households with children under age 6 (14.3%)

Households with children headed by a single woman (27.8%)

Households with children headed by a single man (15.9%)

https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/key-statistics-graphics.aspx

Food Insecurity by Household

Characteristics

The prevalence of food insecurity varied considerably among household types. Rates of food insecurity were higher than the national average (11.1%) for the following groups:

Women living alone (14.2%)

Men living alone (12.5%)

Black, non-Hispanic households (21.2%)

Hispanic households (16.2%)

Low-income households (29.1%)

https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/key-statistics-graphics.aspx

Geographic Factors

https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/go-to-the-atlas.aspx

https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/go-to-the-atlas.aspx

Geographic Factors

https://dfwchild.com/2019/03/25/life-in-a-dallas-fort-worth-food-desert/

Life in a Dallas-Fort Worth

Food Desert

Life in a Dallas-Fort

Worth Food Desert

https://dfwchild.com/2019/03/25/life-in-a-dallas-fort-worth-food-desert/

What Is a Food Desert?

USDA’s Economic Research Service previously identified more than 6,500 food desert tracts in the United States based on 2000 Census and 2006 data on locations of supermarkets, supercenters, and large grocery stores. (Characteristics and Influential Factors of Food Deserts, 2012)

The Great Debate: Is ‘Food Desert’ Really the Right Term?

Food Desert: An area that has limited access to affordable and nutritious food.

Food Oasis: An area with higher access to supermarkets or vegetable shops with fresh foods, which is called a food oasis.

Food Swamp: Areas with a high-density of establishments selling high-calorie fast food and junk food, relative to healthier food options.

Food Apartheid: Policies, systems, norms and values that result in inequitable access to food on grounds of race.

The Great Debate: Is ‘Food Desert’ Really the Right Term?

Race & Ethnicity

Institutional Racism: The system of policies, practices, norms and values that result in differential access to goods, services and opportunities in society by “race”

Structural Racism: Is the way our policies and institutions interact, often invisibly to produce barriers to opportunity, leading to racial disparities

These forms of racism have resulted in, among other things, Generational Poverty and Health Disparities (Structural Racism in the Emergency Food System)

Race & Ethnicity

Age

• Children are in a critical time of development, both physically and intellectually and have a significantly limited ability to obtain resources independently.

• Not having enough healthy food can have serious implications for a child’s physical and mental health, academic achievement and future economic prosperity.

• Research shows an association between food insecurity and delayed development in young children; risk of chronic illnesses like asthma and anemia; and behavioral problems like hyperactivity, anxiety and aggression in school-age children.

Age

• Seniors have a lower than national average rate of food insecurity at 7.3% (2018 data), however it is higher than pre-recession levels (2007), and varies widely by state. In North Texas, the rate is 9% (2018 data).

• Seniors may also have a reduced ability to prepare food for themselves, have special dietary needs, and are prone to under-report need.

• Food insecure seniors are more likely to have chronic health conditions such as depression, asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure, and physical limitations.

https://www.feedingamerica.org/research/senior-hunger-research

Gender

Women are more likely to experience:

• Gender-based pay discrimination

• Violence in the home

• Significantly more responsibility for children

• Higher risk of obesity

• Depression

• Gestational diabetes, iron deficiency and low birth weight when pregnant

https://frac.org/blog/impact-food-insecurity-womens-health

Economic Factors

Economic Factors

https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/

How do People Cope?

https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/impact-of-hunger

Improving Service to

Vulnerable Populations

There are 6 areas that need to be developed to better serve vulnerable populations:

1. Policy and Planning—County, City, and Institutional/Organizational Levels2. Training to Build Understanding—Staff must understand the populations’

unique histories and current needs3. Training for Application and Practice—Staff must know how and have

practiced adapting interventions4. Communications—information and materials must either be inclusive or

tailored to each audience5. Active, Ongoing Collaboration—Relationships and joint-efforts with

community leaders within the population must be in the forefront6. Adjust Measurements and Evaluations—Assessments must be developed

from the perspective of the person being served

Suggested Reading

News/Blogs:

What is Food Apartheid? (The Green Dandelion, Feb 11, 2019)

Food Apartheid: The Root of the Problem with America’s Groceries (The Guardian, May 15, 2018)

How to Combat ‘Food Deserts’ and Food Swamps (Healthline, Sept 24, 2018)

Strengthening Local Food Systems (The Good Food Blog, June 9, 2020)

Research:

Interactive Food Desert Locator Map (USDA Economic Research Service)

Characteristics and Influential Factors of Food Deserts (USDA Economic Research Service, August 2012)

Eliminating Food Deserts Won’t Cure Nutritional Inequality (The National Bureau of Economic Research, February 2018)

Micheline Hynes

Past ChairTarrant County Food Policy Council

Director, Community NutritionTarrant Area Food Bank

[email protected]

817-857-7122

Thank You!

[email protected]

Food Deserts in Our Community - Women's Policy Forum

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