Biology & Sustainability
Factors Influencing Food Deserts
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Subject Area
Biology & Sustainability
Start Date
11-4-2014 10:45 AM
End Date
11-4-2014 11:45 AM
Sponsor
Nic Mink (Butler University)
Description
In the United States 8,959 food deserts have been documented according to the United States Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service's Atlas tool (USDA, 2014). Though there are variations of its definition there are several phrases that are present in every definition: poor or limited access, low-income or socially-distressed neighborhoods, and nutritious or healthful food options. As defined by the United States Department of Agriculture, food deserts are areas in the United States "with limited access to affordable and nutritious food, particularly such an area composed of predominantly lower-income neighborhoods and communities" (USDA AMS, 2009).
Neighborhoods on the Eastside of Indianapolis are an example of food deserts. Through working as a coalition, three neighborhoods have formed the Indy East Food Desert Coalition to combat problems that arise from being located in a food desert area. Despite the defining characteristics of food deserts, there have been several solutions identified by various studies that can be applied to help alievate the food access problems of food deserts, even the problems of the Indy East Food Desert Coalition.
Factors Influencing Food Deserts
Indianapolis, IN
In the United States 8,959 food deserts have been documented according to the United States Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service's Atlas tool (USDA, 2014). Though there are variations of its definition there are several phrases that are present in every definition: poor or limited access, low-income or socially-distressed neighborhoods, and nutritious or healthful food options. As defined by the United States Department of Agriculture, food deserts are areas in the United States "with limited access to affordable and nutritious food, particularly such an area composed of predominantly lower-income neighborhoods and communities" (USDA AMS, 2009).
Neighborhoods on the Eastside of Indianapolis are an example of food deserts. Through working as a coalition, three neighborhoods have formed the Indy East Food Desert Coalition to combat problems that arise from being located in a food desert area. Despite the defining characteristics of food deserts, there have been several solutions identified by various studies that can be applied to help alievate the food access problems of food deserts, even the problems of the Indy East Food Desert Coalition.