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Food Desert Research Paper

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Food deserts are a major problem in neighborhoods around the United States and its’ a leading cause of health problems and obesity. Food deserts link to obesity and being obese put someone at more risk of having cancer and diabetes. A food desert is an area where there is lack of grocery stores and limited of healthy whole foods. “The theory of food deserts is that poor people eat poor diets in part because fresh, healthy food is not accessible in areas where they tend to live” ( Wright ).
Families in low-income neighborhoods tend to be less healthy than families in high-income neighborhoods due to the unhealthier foods they have to eat. Families in food desert areas have to settle for processed foods are not healthy due to the lost nutrients, …show more content…

Eating junk food and processed foods also increase the risk of colorectal cancer. According to American Cancer Society being overweight or obese increase the risk of many cancers such as “breast (in women past menopause), endometrium (lining of the uterus), esophagus, kidney, and pancreas cancer” ( “Does Body Weight” …show more content…

“When incomes drop and family budgets shrink, food choices shift toward cheaper but more energy-dense foods. ... Lower diet quality separates lower-income from the more affluent Americans 3. Higher-income households are more likely to buy whole grains, seafood, lean meats, low-fat milk, and fresh vegetables and fruit” ( Drewnowski ). Not eating a healthy whole food diet can lead to health problems, weight gaining, and even obesity. Low-income families have no choice but to eat unhealthy foods because there are no affordable grocery stores close by. Many low-income families don’t have a vehicle so they have to eat nearby fast food and/or convenience store foods. “ Multiple studies in cities and rural communities have shown a correlation between the availability of healthful food and diet-related health, specifically obesity, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Longer-term studies could back that up soon. The American Diabetes Association's recent scientific statement on the "socioecological determinants" of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes cited similar findings” ( Wahowiak

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