Description:
High rates of obesity and diabetes have spurred research to understand the causes and to identify prevention strategies. Evaluation of the neighborhood environment as it relates to food access is a growing area of research. Many studies have found that residents in low income and minority communities have poor access to grocery stores and healthy food products. Residents that live in “food deserts” have been found to be at higher risk of food insecurity and obesity. Food deserts are areas with no nutritious food stores, generally in low income neighborhoods. In addition, research suggests that areas with a high concentration of food stores may also be associated with poor health.
This study examined food store available within Mecklenburg County census block groups (CBG) to determine the existence of food deserts. We examined the types of foods in stores and classified those that offer fresh produce, fresh meat, fresh dairy, and processed foods as full service food stores. We also examined the relationship between physical access to food stores and community demographics; specifically population density, income, race/ethnicity, and premature deaths to heart disease and diabetes. Finally we examined whether the concentration of food stores was associated with these demographic and health characteristics.
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