Eliminating Food Deserts in Urban Communities in Georgia’s Urban Communities. Shabreka Walden,

1. Eliminating Food Deserts in Urban Communities in Georgia’s Urban Communities. Shabreka Walden, MPH student Walden University PUBH 6165-2 Instructor: Dr. Patrick Tschida Spring, 2012

2. Agenda: • Introduction • Food Desert definition • Description of Georgia’s • Key Recommendations • Recommendations • Conclusion

3. Target Audience: • Georgia Family Connection Partnership • Georgia Supermarket Access Task Force • Food Trust Organization and the • U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). • Media • Policy Makers

4. What is a Food Desert? • A food desert is considered as a low-income census tract where a substantial number or share of residents has low access to a supermarket or large grocery store. Breneman, Vince. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/FoodDesert/documentation.html

5. Where you live determines your quality of life: Low Income Communities Middle class/Affluent Communities Good Health Status • Fast Food Restaurants • Liquor Stores • Unsafe/Limited Parks • Poor Performing • Schools • Increased Pollution and Toxic Waste Sites • Limited Public • Transportation • Grocery Stores • Better performing schools • Sidewalks • Safe Parks • Good Public Transportation Poor Health Status

6. Georgia • The situation in Georgia is not unique; a nationwide study of over 28,000 ZIP codes found that low-income ZIP codes have 25 percent fewer per capita supermarkets than middle-income ZIP codes. • The lack of access to affordable and nutritious food has a negative impact on the health of children and families. A growing body of research indicates that people who live in communities without a supermarket suffer from disproportionately high rates of obesity, diabetes and other diet-related health problems. In contrast, when people live in a community with a supermarket, they tend to eat more servings of fruits and vegetables and are more likely to maintain a healthy weight. Breneman, Vince. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/FoodDesert/documentation.html

7. Georgia Heart Disease and Stroke

8. Georgia Barriers: • Commute times • Poor selections • Limited time • Fuel prices • Distance

9. Who is most affected? • Nearly two million Georgia residents, including close to 500,000 children, live in lower income areas with poor supermarket access. Food for Every Child: The Need for More Supermarkets in Georgia. (2011). Retrieved from: http://www.thefoodtrust.org/pdf/Georgia_mappingHighRes.pdf

10. Key Recommendations: • Grant and loan program • Tax incentives • Conduct research • Involve the community in policy making.

11. Conclusion:

12. References: • Breneman, Vince. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/FoodDesert/documentation.html • Jilcott SB, Liu H, Moore JB, Bethel JW, Wilson J, Ammerman AS. “Commute times, food retail gaps, and body mass index in North Carolina counties”. Prev Chronic Dis 2010;7(5):A107. Retrieved from:http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2010/sep/09_0208.htm. • Flournoy, R. (2011). “Healthy Foods, Healthy Communities”. Retrieved from: • http://www.policylink.org/atf/cf/%7B97c6d565-bb43-406d-a6d5- eca3bbf35af0%7D/HFHC_FULL_FINAL.PDF • Giang,T, Harries, C. and st and David Treering, Food for Every Child: The Need for More Supermarkets in Georgia. (2011). Retrieved from: http://www.thefoodtrust.org/pdf/Georgia_mappingHighRes.pdf