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Adverse Food Environments in Low-Income and Minority Communities: A Commentary

Aneesh Sharma

In the midst of any public health crisis in the United States, there is bound to be debate among policy makers, public health officials, and the general public about the potential causes of the issue and how it should be addressed. A prime example is the obesity epidemic. Researchers often debate the primary causes and most effective way to slow the obesity epidemic in low-income and minority communities. One commonly cited cause is food deserts: communities that lack access to a grocery store. Food deserts, which primarily exist in low-income and minority communities, have received much attention from politicians and the general public, even being highlighted by Michelle Obama's "Let's Move!" campaign. However, experts have recently questioned the commonly held belief that food desserts are the leading cause of obesity in American cities, and have also challenged the practicality of proposed solutions. Alternatively, food swamps (communities where unhealthy eating options far outnumber healthy ones) have been legitimately explored - by public health officials and scholars alike - as a potential contributing factor to the obesity epidemic. This article discusses the impact of food deserts and food swamps and the steps proposed by scholars to solving food swamps in America - subsequently alleviating a significant, ongoing public health crisis.