The Public Health Effects of Food Deserts

In the United States, people living in low-income neighborhoods frequently do not have access to affordable healthy food venues, such as supermarkets. Instead, those living in "food deserts" must rely on convenience stores and small neighborhood stores that offer few, if any, healthy food choices, such as fruits and vegetables. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) and National Research Council (NRC) convened a two-day workshop on January 26-27, 2009, to provide input into a Congressionally-mandated food deserts study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service. The workshop, summarized in this volume, provided a forum in which to discuss the public health effects of food deserts. Table of ContentsFront MatterSummary1 Introduction2 Determining the Extent of Food Deserts3 Studying Food Deserts Through Different Lenses4 Diet and Health Evidence to Support Improved Food Access5 Ameliorating Food Desert Conditions6 Research Gaps and NeedsReferencesAppendix A: Planning Committee BiographiesAppendix B: Workshop AgendaAppendix C: Speaker and Moderator BiographiesAppendix D: Workshop Participants