[fruitlessfridays]

Access to supermarkets may not have as big of an effect on fruit and vegetable consumption as one might think.

Access to supermarkets and fruit and vegetable consumption were examined in a cross-sectional study in the Barnsley area of South Yorkshire in England. The study was based on the hypothesis that “food deserts”, or areas of lower-income where access to affordable healthy food is limited, contribute to a poor diet. A random selection of 1000 addresses in four lower-income wards (two urban and two rural) were sent questionnaires to be completed by the household member responsible for grocery shopping.  Questions asked about family demographics, supermarket use, car ownership, and mobility, as well as fruit and vegetable consumption for the previous day.  Distances from the homes to supermarkets and the prices and availability of several staple fruits and vegetables were also collected by the researchers. The results of the study appeared to show that there was not a direct correlation between access (distance, prices, and potential difficulties with grocery shopping) and fruit and vegetable consumption.  The study could have been improved by including more areas as they only studied four of 22 wards or possibly exploring food choices over a longer period of time.  The study was aimed at government policies that sought to eradicate food deserts as a solution to health inequalities.  Instead, the researchers suggested that these food policies should be focused on “changing socio-cultural attitudes towards food”.

Pearson, Tim, Russell, Jean, Campbell, Michael J., & Barker, Margo E. Do ‘food deserts’ influence fruit and vegetable consumption?—a cross-sectional study. Appetite, Volume 45, Issue 2, October 2005, 195-197. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2005.04.003.

[sadieseidel]

In recent years, it has come to light that doctors receive little to no training in the area of nutrition. This is very different than those practicing holistic nutrition. It seems very backward that doctors in this day and age, or any day and age for that matter, are not trained in an area...

[fruitlessfridays]

I have always found it shocking how little training doctors get in nutrition, especially since we know how big an impact what we eat has on our health and well being. I just saw an article about another program in NYC where doctors are prescribing vegetables over pills. Check it out! 

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/01/prescribing-vegetables-not-pills/?ref=health&_r=0

[fruitlessfridays]

Can a Farmer's Market have a beneficial impact on the availability of fresh food in a food desert?

A study was conducted over several years on the impact of a farmers’ market on food prices and availability in a food desert.  The study was conducted in Old East, a low-income, inner-city neighborhood designated as a food desert in London, Ontario, Canada.  The only access to food in this community, besides restaurants and cafes, were several small convenience stores.  The researchers hypothesized that the addition of a year-round Saturday farmers’ market would lower food prices and increase availability of healthy foods.  In 2005, before the farmers’ market opened, the researchers determined the overall cost of filling an “Ontario Nutritious Food Basket” (ONFB), a list of healthy food items, at supermarkets throughout the city of London and at the convenience stores in Old East.  To fill the ONFB in Old East cost residents about $54.42 more than residents of other parts of the city.  A second study was performed in 2008, after the farmers’ market had been opened for several years.  Once again, prices (adjusted for inflation) at supermarkets around the city were found, and in Old East, the ONFB was first filled with items from the farmers’ market and then supplemented with food from the convenience stores.  The researchers found that the addition of the farmers’ market actually reduced the overall cost of the ONFB for Old East residents, from $230.18 to $205.08.  The additional cost to Old East residents was only $11.69 compared to $54.42 three years prior.  In addition, three items that were previously unavailable to Old East residents, green grapes, celery, and broccoli, were now available. This study is important for those policymakers interested in improving access to healthy foods in food deserts and offers an alternative to supermarkets in those areas.  However, since it was focused only in one community, more research could be done in other areas and communities to see if the results are widespread.  

Larsen, Kristian, & Gilliland, Jason. A farmers’ market in a food desert: Evaluating impacts on the price and availability of healthy food. Health & Place, Volume 15, Issue 4, December 2009, 1158-1162. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2009.06.007.

[dmnutr351-blog]

It can be agreed that commercial food marketing has been a reckless force shaping our food choice behaviors. The use of icons, promotions, and low prices has drawn in our attention for decades. Adults and children alike have been molded by these forms of marketing and based their dietary intake...

[fruitlessfridays]

Very interesting research.  Hopefully public health campaigns will adopt some of commercial food marketing strategies that have such an impact on our food choices. Thanks for sharing!

[fruitlessfridays]

Throughout my research in to food deserts, I have come across several articles on innovative ways cities and organizations are trying to combat food deserts.  Which idea do you think would have the most impact in urban food deserts?

Check It Out: Get Your Groceries at the Library: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126282239

In Baltimore, the Virtual Supermarket Project was created in 2010 by the city health department to increase access to healthy food in areas without a supermarket.  Patrons of the local library can order groceries online and pay with cash, credit or food stamps. Santoni’s Supermarket, a local grocer, fills the order, and delivers the groceries to the public library the next day for pickup. This program is available at two of the city’s public library branches at opposite ends of town. Both areas do not have a large, competitively priced supermarket within walking distance, and similar to most inner-city food deserts, residents only have access to the more unhealthy options at fast food and convenience stores. Also in these areas, “the mortality burden from diet-related causes like diabetes, stroke and heart disease are among the highest in the city.” At the time of the article, the program was in its beginning stage, but according to http://www.baltimarket.org/, a website devoted to providing healthy eating resources to Baltimore residents, it is still operating.

This Tricked-Out Bus Is Bringing Organic Fruits and Veggies to Food Deserts: http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/11/24/tricked-out-bus-mobile-food-desert-market

In Toronto, the Mobile Good Food Market truck drives around the city, bringing organic fruits and vegetables to low-income neighborhoods that have limited access to affordable and healthy foods. According to the article, 29% of children in Toronto live in impoverished homes.  The truck is funded by FoodShare Toronto, a 25-year-old nonprofit that “works with communities and schools to deliver healthy food and food education.” They found that 8 neighborhoods would benefit from having access to an organic produce market, but instead of getting the funding and resources to create a farmer’s market in these areas, they made the market mobile.

Dallas Fights Food Deserts: http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Dallas-Fights-Food-Deserts-282997911.html

Instead of using resources to bring new grocery stores in to the areas of the city considered food deserts, Dallas city leaders are now endorsing a plan to encourage more community gardens in these areas. The city leaders are attempting to change some city rules to allow gardens to be able to sell their goods at small convenience stores or farmer’s markets. The neighborhood around Paul Quinn College is one of the areas that would benefit from fewer restrictions on community gardens. The college has already turned the former football field into a community garden. The city hopes to have a plan in place by January to allow for spring planting.

Creating a veggie oasis in the food desert: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/helping-low-income-families-have-a-healthy-thanksgiving/

Martha’s Table in Washington, DC, sets up free fresh produce markets in 10 elementary schools in the District’s 7th and 8th Wards.  In these areas, approximately 60% of students qualify for free or reduced lunches.  In addition to providing food for low-income families, the organization also provides cooking demonstrations and recipe leaflets to show the families how to cook the food they are given.  The organization is hoping to provide markets in all of the elementary schools in the 7th and 8th wards by 2016.

[tappling72]

When America entered World War I in April of 1917, our European allies were in desperate need of food. Farmlands all over Europe had been laid to waste. The land had been turned into battlefields and much had been taken over by the enemies, crops were burned and trampled, fruit trees cut down,...

[fruitlessfridays]

This sounds like a great idea! I especially like how they were able to turn vacant lots in to community gardens. It seems like a similar campaign now would go a long way in helping food deserts and at the same time, beautifying our cities!

[sadieseidel]

College is stressful! There are exams, papers, quizes, readings, all while trying to keep a job and a social life. As nutrition students, we may have an advantage over other students. Stress management is tough when the stresses keep coming, but we can use food to cope with and avoid stress....

[fruitlessfridays]

Great information. I definitely could have used this yesterday when I consumed an entire bag of Swedish fish while studying for my Anatomy and Physiology lab practical!

[fruitlessfridays]

This week I'm taking a break from the topic of food deserts because I want to talk about the Gallatin Valley Farm to School (GVF2S) Program and their Farm to School Feastival they had on Saturday. This event was such a great experience to be a part of. Kasey (veganlife13.tumblr.com) and I got to lead a kid's activity at the Feastival.  We had kids play a Jeopardy game with fun questions about Halloween, sustainability, Montana food products, fruits and vegetables.  We also had recipes with local ingredients, instructions to make your own hula hoops, and nutrition related coloring sheets to hand out.

There were tons of other fun activities.  The girls next to us had cream and jars to make your own butter and whipped cream, which were delicious. Another booth had kids identify vegetables, grains, and herbs by just touch or smell.  There were also cooking demonstrations by local chefs. Rocky Creek Farm, where the event took place, had hay rides, tons of pumpkins, a corn maze, and apple cider making.  It was such a beautiful place to hold the event.

Gallatin Valley Farm to School was such a fun organization to work with and I really love their mission of bringing local food producers together with schools.  Their goals to accomplish this mission include:

serving healthy, fresh, made from scratch, local meals in school cafeterias;

improving student nutrition;

providing health, nutrition and agriculture education;

enhancing local economies by supporting local farmers;

and instilling a sense of community citizenship in students.

I am excited to continue working and volunteering with them.  Coming up on October 24th, GVF2S is participating in Montana Crunch Time, where students across the state will be biting in to a locally or regionally grown apple to celebrate Food Day and National Farm to School Month. They are looking for volunteers to help with apple distribution at the local schools so check out their website (http://gvfarmtoschool.org/) and their VolunteerSpot page (http://vols.pt/zU9Mok) if you'd like to help out.

[mayormchealthy]

In this cross-sectional study the researchers show that the general population guess the amount of calories that they are eating at a fast food chain and their guesses are grossly underestimated.

In a study including 4 large cities on the east coast observes 1877 adults and 330 young school aged...

[fruitlessfridays]

This is really interesting.  I definitely fall in to the trap of miscalculating calories.  I'm always shocked when I realize how many calories and fat are in fast food and restaurant meals, especially salads, which are always marketed as "healthier options".

[fruitlessfridays]

"Rural Food Deserts: Low-income Perspectives on Food Access"

One of the studies I came across when doing my research in to food deserts was “Rural Food Deserts: Low-income Perspectives on Food Access in Minnesota and Iowa”. The researchers conducted focus groups to study how food deserts in rural, low-income communities impact food choices within these communities. The four participating communities (two in Iowa and two in Minnesota) were chosen based on the following criteria: -the county’s poverty level was higher than the state’s poverty level -towns adjacent to these rural counties could not have more than 2500 residents -the counties could not have more than 3 grocery stores -the counties had to identify with having a high or low level of civic engagement. One community in each state was considered to be “civically engaged”, which meant the community had “an infrastructure dedicated to increasing availability of food for at-risk groups”.  The other community was considered to be “civically nonengaged”. 

Participants were residents of the four rural communities and were recruited at food assistance programs and community-based projects.  In the focus groups, participants were asked questions that ranged from what food they ate to where they shopped to what they considered “healthy food” to access to food assistance programs and the barriers that prevented them from using those services. 

Researchers found that there were many factors that impacted food choices, one being personal and household factors such as family structure (i.e. kids, elderly, etc.), historical experiences (i.e. the types of food they were raised on), and knowledge and perceptions of “healthy foods”.  Another factor was the social and cultural environment, such as sharing food with family members or neighbors, buying food on sale or with coupons, and stigmas attached to using food stamps or food assistance programs.  A third factor was the external food environment, such as lack of competition in grocery stores, lack of food quality, transportation issues, and access to food assistance programs. 

The researchers acknowledged in their conclusion that although personal and household factors do influence food choices, the physical and social environment seemed to play the largest role in access and availability to healthy food choices.  Although this study focused on a very small segment of rural American communities, the research is important in bringing attention to food deserts and how they can impact the health of citizens within these communities, as “overall, rural residents report poorer health and more physical limitations” than residents of urban communities.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19411051

[sadieseidel]

Many people see Eastern and Western medicine, or Eastern and Western nutriiton as two opposing views on healing. The ideal route, however is to choose the middle path between the two. The reason Eastern thoughts can be confusing to us westerners and vice versa is largely due to a language gap....

[fruitlessfridays]

Great information! I like the idea that a person’s lifestyle and eating habits are taken in to account in holistic nutrition.  I also like the idea that there is no single diet that will work for everyone.  Western nutrition seems so focused on finding the “perfect diet” that will solve everything.  I think we can learn a lot from eastern nutrition!

[mtmattschell]

The problems associated with elderly malnutrition are many. This is a sparsely recognized issue. Malnutrition in the elderly has a wide range of effects but here I’ve listed a few of the most common. A weak immune system, which increases the risk of infections. Poor wound healing. Muscle...

[fruitlessfridays]

I guess it makes sense that malnutrition could lead to those problems in older adults, but I never knew it was that big of an issue.  Thanks for bringing this information to my attention!

[fruitlessfridays]

September is National Food Desert Awareness Month

What is a “food desert”? One of the earliest definitions of a food desert came from a 1995 study in Glasgow, Scotland and described them as “populated areas with little or no food retail provision”.1  Although there is no specific parameters to a food desert, most research has defined an urban food desert as having a supermarket over a mile away.  On the other hand, food deserts are also very common in rural areas, where one may have to drive over 10 miles to get to a supermarket.

Two factors that play in to food deserts is access and affordability.  In urban communities, where not everyone has access to a car or may depend on public transportation to get around, a supermarket over a mile away can greatly impact their food choices.  These communities are not completely devoid of food, however, the choices are limited to fast food, restaurants, and small convenience stores or bodegas that generally don’t have fresh, healthy foods.  These people must depend on eating unhealthy, processed food that is often times more expensive.  These convenience stores can often charge a premium for being the only access to food in the neighborhood.  In rural communities there is often only a small store or gas station to buy food.  Residents must drive over ten miles to the nearest supermarket, which can cost a lot in gas money over time.  The small stores in the community can (or have to) charge a premium on food because of transportation costs to bring the food in to the community. 

National Food Desert Awareness Month was a project started by the National Center for Public Research to focus “…on understanding the root causes of food deserts and on advancing emerging solutions.” Their website, http://www.fooddesert.net/, has a lot of great research and links.

Also, if you are interested, the first study I referenced above is “The location of food stores in urban areas: a case study in Glasgow”. http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/00070709910279027

The map above is from http://americannutritionassociation.org/newsletter/usda-defines-food-deserts