By: Lina Marquez, RDN, LDN
Food Deserts? Yes, that is right, I did not misspell the word. Food deserts exist and sometimes very close to us and many around us. But what are food deserts? It is exactly that, deserts where unfortunately healthy foods do not exist and if they exist, access to them is very limited. Now, you may be thinking that I am talking about a third world country but not, I am talking about our country, the Unites states.
Food desserts is a term that has been around for quite some time and it not only refers to places with limited access to healthy foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. It also refers to places where these healthy foods are too expensive. Therefore, inhabitants need to recur to cheap and unhealthy options available in the area because generally in areas defined as food desserts, there is a big presence of convenience stores, either lone standing or within gas stations as well as of fast-food restaurants. Food desserts are not limited to rural areas, these can also be found in urban areas where fast food restaurants are abundant.
Food desert areas are a serious concern for public health because inhabitants following poor diets will likely have several negative health consequences. But unfortunately, there is not much these people can do. Sometimes they lack transportation or simply, it becomes a nuisance to get to these places even by walking. Think about a mother with two toddlers trying to walk to the closest supermarket 3 miles away from her, holding hands all the time but what about on the way home with the kids and the groceries. It can certainly become a hassle.
Remember that the problem may not be as obvious or extreme as some of the areas described previously. Even families who have supermarkets in their town may have created their own food deserts if they do not have easy access to transportation, cannot carry all their groceries when walking, or do not believe they are in a safe enough area to venture far beyond their home. Anyone who is unable to access or afford healthy foods for whatever reason needs a solution to get out of the desert (1)
Families who are not consuming any fresh foods, namely fruits and vegetables, are putting their health at risk. But unfortunately, their options for buying these types of foods are often limited. This issue becomes even more complicated when there is need for a special diet, think for example in the event of having to follow a carbohydrate-controlled diet due to diabetes or low cholesterol, low sodium, or even a food allergy or intolerance.
Not having easy access to healthy food can have devastating health consequences, including psychological distress and physical health consequences, as well a nutrition-related disease typically associated with excess calorie, carbohydrate, and fat intake such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, as well as those typically linked with select food group inadequacies, such as anemias, low bone density, and other micronutrient deficiencies.
Meal delivery services have been a great option in food deserts. It offers the possibility of having well balanced healthy meals deliver right to your door without having to go grocery shopping far away from home. Meal delivery services offer an array of options, not only for adults but for kids as well ensuring that everyone in the family get the right nutrients to sustain their needs. Some even go as detailed as to offer meals especially prepared for older adults. Therefore, if you are in a food dessert consider a meal delivery service – it simply can’t get any easier than that, not only if you need to follow any type of special diet because as we know, proper balanced nutrition is essential in all stages of life.
1. Coleman-Jensen A, Rabbitt MP, Gregory CA, Singh A. Household food security in the United States in 2015. https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/err215/err-215.pdf. Published September 2016.